Macarthuria australis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Macarthuria australis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Macarthuriaceae
Genus:	Macarthuria
Species:	M. australis
Binomial name
Macarthuria australis Hügel ex Endl.
Occurrence data from the AVH
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Macarthuria australis is a special kind of plant. It's a shrub that grows upright or spreads out, with thin, wiry stems. This plant belongs to the Macarthuriaceae family. You can only find it in Western Australia, which means it's endemic there.

This shrub usually grows between 0.15 and 0.75 meters tall. That's about the height of a small child to an adult's waist! It has pretty white or creamy-white flowers. You might see it flowering for a long time, from May all the way to February. However, it blooms most often during August and September.

Where Macarthuria australis Lives

This interesting plant likes to grow in sandy areas. You can find it on coastal sandplains, which are flat, sandy areas near the ocean. It also grows on sandhills, which are small hills made of sand. Sometimes, you can even spot it along roadsides. It prefers soil that is sandy or made of laterite. Laterite is a type of soil that is rich in iron and aluminum.

How Macarthuria australis Spreads Its Seeds

The seeds of Macarthuria australis have a clever way to travel. They are spread by ants! This is a process called myrmecochory. The ants carry the seeds away, helping the plant to grow in new places. This is a great example of how plants and insects work together in nature.