Mountain wax-flower facts for kids

The mountain wax-flower (scientific name: Philotheca obovatifolia) is a special flowering plant. It belongs to the family of plants called Rutaceae. This plant is found only in eastern Australia, meaning it is endemic there. It's a small shrub with unique leaves and pretty cream-coloured flowers. These flowers often have a hint of pink.

What it Looks Like

The mountain wax-flower is a small shrub. It usually grows to about 1 meter (about 3 feet) tall. Its branches have small, bumpy parts that look like warts.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of this plant are packed closely together. They are found near the ends of the branches. Each leaf is shaped like a wide egg, with the narrower part at the bottom. They are about 2.8 to 6 centimeters (1 to 2.4 inches) long. They are also about 1.4 to 3 centimeters (0.5 to 1.2 inches) wide. You can see a clear line, called a midrib, on the underside of each leaf.

The flowers grow either alone or in small groups of up to five. They appear where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower sits on a stalk called a peduncle, which can be up to 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) long. The flowers themselves are on smaller stalks called pedicels, about 0.5 to 0.9 centimeters (0.2 to 0.35 inches) long.

Each flower has five triangle-shaped sepals. It also has five cream-coloured petals. These petals are about 0.8 to 0.9 centimeters (0.3 to 0.35 inches) long. They are often tinged with pink. Inside the flower, there are ten stamens, which are the parts that make pollen. These stamens are covered in tiny hairs.

Reproduction

The mountain wax-flower usually blooms in late spring. After flowering, it produces a fruit. This fruit is about 0.7 centimeters (0.28 inches) long. It has a small, beak-like tip that is about 0.3 centimeters (0.12 inches) long.

How it Got its Name

Scientists first officially described this plant in 1998. It was named Philotheca myoporoides subsp. obovatifolia by a scientist named Michael J. Bayly. This description was published in a science journal called Muelleria.

Later, in 2005, another scientist named Paul Irwin Forster changed its name. He decided it was different enough to be its own species. So, he renamed it Philotheca obovatifolia. This new name was published in the journal Austrobaileya.

Where it Grows

The mountain wax-flower grows in special places. You can find it in areas with heathland and woodland. These areas are on mountains like Mount Barney, Mount Lindesay, and Mount Ernest. These mountains are all in south-east Queensland, Australia. It also grows in Werrikimbe National Park in north-eastern New South Wales.

Why it Needs Our Help

Sadly, the mountain wax-flower is an "endangered" species in New South Wales. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever. The government of New South Wales protects it under a law called the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.

Only three groups of these plants are known to exist. They are all found in a small part of Werrikimbe National Park. The biggest dangers to this plant are:

• Wrong fire management: Fires that happen too often or not often enough can harm the plants.
• Forestry activities: Work done in forests, like logging, can disturb their habitat.
• Feral pigs: Wild pigs can damage the plants and their environment.

Protecting these plants is very important so they can continue to grow and thrive.