Philotheca nutans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Philotheca nutans |
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| Genus: |
Philotheca
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| Species: |
nutans
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Philotheca nutans is a special flowering plant. It belongs to the Rutaceae family, which also includes citrus fruits. This plant is found only in the southwest part of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area. It is a small, bushy shrub with unique leaves. Its flowers hang down and can be pale yellow or light red.
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What Does This Plant Look Like?
Philotheca nutans is a small, densely branched shrub. It usually grows to be about 30 to 90 centimeters tall. Its small branches have tiny, sticky bumps on them. These are called glandular-warty branchlets.
The leaves are shaped like clubs or cylinders. They are about 11 millimeters long. The underside of the leaves also has those sticky, warty bumps.
The flowers hang downwards. Each flower grows by itself where a leaf joins the stem. Each flower has a thin stem called a pedicel, about 8 millimeters long. There are five broadly egg-shaped sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. They are about 2.5 millimeters long. There are also five broadly egg-shaped petals. These petals are the colorful parts of the flower. They can be pale yellow or pale red and are about 7 to 10 millimeters long. Inside the flower, there are ten stamens. These are the parts that produce pollen. They are covered in dense, woolly hairs. This plant usually flowers from July to September.
How This Plant Got Its Name
The Story of Philotheca nutans
This plant was first officially described in 1970. A scientist named Paul Wilson gave it the name Eriostemon nutans. He wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. He used plant samples collected by another botanist, Charles Gardner, in 1953.
Later, in 1998, Paul Wilson decided to change the plant's name. He changed it to Philotheca nutans. He announced this new name in the same journal, Nuytsia.
Where This Plant Lives
Philotheca nutans grows in woodlands. You can find it near the road between Wubin and Paynes Find. Both of these places are in the southwest of Western Australia.
Protecting This Plant
Why Philotheca nutans Needs Our Help
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has a special list for plants that need protection. Philotheca nutans is on this list. It is classified as "Priority One".
This means that the plant is known to grow in only one or a few places. These locations could be at risk. For example, they might be threatened by human activities or changes in the environment. Because it's so rare, it's very important to protect Philotheca nutans and its habitat.
