Needle-leaved smokebush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Needle-leaved smokebush |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Conospermum
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| Species: |
acerosum
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The Conospermum acerosum, also known as the needle-leaved smokebush, is a unique shrub found only in Western Australia. It gets its name "smokebush" because its fluffy white flowers can look like smoke from a distance!
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What is the Needle-Leaved Smokebush Like?
This plant is a tall, thin shrub that can grow from about 0.3 to 1.7 meters (1 to 5.6 feet) high. It often has several stems growing straight up from its base.
Its leaves are very thin and look like needles, growing up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. The smokebush produces many small flowers, about 8 millimeters (0.3 inches) long, that grow in dense clusters. These flowers can be white, red, or pink.
How Scientists Named This Plant
The needle-leaved smokebush was first described by a botanist named John Lindley in 1839. He wrote about it in his book, A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony. Lindley studied plants that were collected by James Drummond. Lindley even called it a "strange species" because it looked a bit like another plant called Colletia.
Later, in 1995, another botanist named Eleanor Marion Bennett studied the smokebush more closely. She found that there were two slightly different types, which she called subspecies. One subspecies has fine red hairs around its flowers and smooth stems. The other subspecies has fine hairs on its younger stems and the base of its leaves.
Where Does the Smokebush Grow?
You can find the needle-leaved smokebush in sandy soil, often where there is a type of rock called laterite. It grows across a wide area in Western Australia, from the Murchison River in the north down to Cape Leeuwin in the south.
This means it lives in several different natural areas, including the Geraldton Sandplains and the Swan Coastal Plain. Some populations are also found in the Avon Wheatbelt and Jarrah Forest regions.
Is the Smokebush in Danger?
Good news! The needle-leaved smokebush is not considered to be a threatened plant. This means it has healthy populations and is not currently at risk of disappearing.
