Mount Cole grevillea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Cole grevillea |
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| Above: subsp. montis-cole Below: subsp. brevistyla |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Grevillea
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| Species: |
montis-cole
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Grevillea montis-cole is a special kind of shrub that grows only in central-western Victoria, Australia. It's often called the Mount Cole Grevillea or Glut Grevillea. This plant is known for its pretty flowers, which have greenish or fawn-colored petals and bright red parts called styles. It's a unique plant that needs our protection!
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Discovering the Mount Cole Grevillea
This shrub looks a bit like other Grevillea plants, but it has bigger flower parts called bracts. Its flowers are usually greenish or fawn (a light brownish-yellow color). They also have bright red styles, which are part of the flower's reproductive system. These flowers bloom between October and March in Australia.
Scientists first officially described this plant in a science journal called Muelleria in 1983.
Where Does It Grow?
The Grevillea montis-cole plant is found only in specific parts of Victoria, Australia. It grows in different areas, and because of this, scientists have divided it into two main types, called subspecies.
The Glut Grevillea
This subspecies is known as subsp. montis-cole or The Glut Grevillea. You can find it growing in the Mount Cole State Forest. It's a medium-sized shrub, usually growing between 1 and 1.5 meters (about 3 to 5 feet) tall.
The Glut Grevillea has a part of its flower called a pistil that is longer than 20 millimeters. It often grows as a smaller plant under taller trees in eucalyptus forests. It likes to grow in soil that comes from broken-down granite rocks, usually at high places between 500 and 900 meters up. This subspecies is considered "Rare in Victoria," meaning there aren't many of them left.
The Langi Ghiran Grevillea
This subspecies is called subsp. brevistyla or Langi Ghiran Grevillea. It lives on the higher parts of Mount Langi Ghiran. It grows at an altitude of 800 to 900 meters (about 2,600 to 3,000 feet) among granite rocks.
The Langi Ghiran Grevillea is a low, spreading shrub that grows up to 1 meter (about 3 feet) tall. Its pistils are shorter than 20 millimeters. Its leaves are also shorter and wider than those of The Glut Grevillea.
Why Is It Special?
The Langi Ghiran Grevillea is very important because it is listed as "Vulnerable." This means it's at risk of disappearing if we don't protect it. It's protected under a special law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. It's also considered "threatened" in Victoria under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988.
Other plants that grow near the Langi Ghiran Grevillea include Bundy (Eucalyptus goniocalyx), Shiny Tea-tree (Leptospermum turbinatum), Wedge-leaf Hop-bush (Dodonaea viscosa subsp. cuneata), Hairy Correa (Correa aemula), Violet Kunzea (Kunzea parvifolia), and Cranberry Heath (Astroloma humifusum).
Scientists are studying the Langi Ghiran Grevillea closely. Early genetic tests and differences in how it looks and where it lives suggest that it might even be a completely separate species, not just a subspecies. This shows how unique and important this plant is!
