Myoporum caprarioides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slender myoporum |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Myoporum
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| Species: |
caprarioides
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The slender myoporum (scientific name: Myoporum caprarioides) is a cool plant. It belongs to the figwort family, called Scrophulariaceae. This plant is a shrub, which means it's a bushy plant smaller than a tree. Its branches and leaves have small bumps that look like warts. You can see these bumps especially on the top of the leaves. The slender myoporum has pretty white flowers, sometimes with purple spots, or they can be entirely blue-purple. These flowers bloom for most of the warm parts of the year.
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What Does Slender Myoporum Look Like?
The slender myoporum is an upright shrub. It can grow up to 2 metres (7 ft) (about 6.5 feet) tall. Its branches and leaves are covered in small, wart-like bumps. These bumps are called tubercles.
Leaves and Stems
The leaves of this plant grow in an alternating pattern along the stem. They are flat, not thick and juicy like some other plants. Each leaf is about 17–70 millimetres (0.7–3 in) (0.7 to 2.8 inches) long. They are also about 3.5–13 millimetres (0.1–0.5 in) (0.1 to 0.5 inches) wide. The leaves are shaped like an oval. They have tiny saw-like edges. The top side of the leaf is shiny and darker. The bottom side is lighter and has a raised line down the middle.
Flowers and Fruit
The flowers of the slender myoporum grow alone or in small groups. They appear where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower has five sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. It also has five petals. These petals are usually white with pink spots, or sometimes entirely pink. They join together at their base to form a tube. This tube is about 2.4–3.1 millimetres (0.09–0.1 in) long. The petal tips spread out and are about 2.4–4 millimetres (0.09–0.2 in) long. There are four stamens, which are the parts that make pollen. These stamens stick out beyond the petals.
The plant flowers almost all year, except for the coldest months. After the flowers, small brown fruits appear. These fruits are called drupes. They are round and about 2–3 millimetres (0.08–0.1 in) across.
How Slender Myoporum Got Its Name
The scientific name Myoporum caprarioides was first officially described in 1837. This was done by a scientist named George Bentham. He wrote about it in a book by Stephan Endlicher. The second part of the name, caprarioides, means it looks similar to another plant genus called Capraria.
Where Slender Myoporum Lives
The slender myoporum grows along the coast of Western Australia. You can find it from a town called Dongara all the way down to Busselton. It often grows in forests where tuart trees (Eucalyptus gomphocephala) are common. You can also find it near rivers and in areas that get wet during winter.
Is Slender Myoporum Endangered?
The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at the slender myoporum. They have classified it as "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
