Kangaroo Island conesticks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kangaroo Island conesticks |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Petrophile
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| Species: |
multisecta
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| Synonyms | |
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Petrophila multisecta F.Muell. orth. var. |
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The Kangaroo Island conesticks (scientific name: Petrophile multisecta) is a special flowering plant. It belongs to the Proteaceae family, which includes many unique Australian plants. This plant is found only on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. It is a spiky bush with stiff, deeply divided leaves that have sharp points. Its flowers are creamy-white and hairy, growing in round or oval clusters. After flowering, it produces oval-shaped fruits.
What the Kangaroo Island Conesticks Looks Like
The Kangaroo Island conesticks is a shrub that usually grows to about 0.6 m (2 ft 0 in) tall. Its branches are grey and have fine hairs. The leaves are quite long, about 40–80 mm (1.6–3.1 in) in length. They are divided many times, almost like a fern. The first parts of the leaf split into three, and then those parts split into two more. Each tip of these divisions is sharply pointed.
The flowers grow in clusters that are 20–25 mm (0.79–0.98 in) long. These clusters sit directly on the branchlets, meaning they don't have a stalk. Each flower is 8–15 mm (0.31–0.59 in) long and is a creamy colour with hairs. This plant mainly flowers from October to February. After the flowers, the plant produces fruits. These fruits are small, hard nuts that are joined together in an oval-shaped head, about 15–40 mm (0.59–1.57 in) long.
How the Kangaroo Island Conesticks Got Its Name
The scientific name for this plant, Petrophile multisecta, was first officially written down in 1868. This was done by a famous botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He described the plant in his book Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae.
The second part of the plant's scientific name, multisecta, is Latin. It means "much-divided." This name was chosen because of the plant's leaves, which are split into many small sections.
Where the Kangaroo Island Conesticks Lives
The Kangaroo Island conesticks grows in sandy soils that can be either lateritic (a type of red soil) or calcareous (soil rich in lime). It is very common on Kangaroo Island, which is the only place in the world where this plant naturally grows.
