Philotheca rhomboidea facts for kids

Philotheca rhomboidea is a pretty flowering plant. It belongs to the citrus family. You can only find it in the south-west part of Western Australia. This plant is a small bush. It has thick, oval or round leaves. Its flowers are white or light pink. They grow alone or in small groups at the end of its branches.

What it Looks Like

Philotheca rhomboidea is a small bush. It usually grows up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall. Its branches are smooth. They have small, warty bumps that become rougher as they get older. The leaves are thick. They can be oval, egg-shaped, or round. Each leaf is about 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long. They have two or three warty bumps on their bottom side.

The flowers grow alone or in groups of two or three. They are found at the end of the branches. Each flower sits on a small stalk about 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. There are five triangle-shaped sepals. These are like small leaves under the flower. They are about 1–1.5 mm (0.039–0.059 in) long.

The plant has five white or light pink petals. Each petal is about 5 mm (0.20 in) long. They have a clear line down the middle. There are ten stamens. These are the parts that hold pollen. They are separate from each other and have tiny hairs. This plant flowers from August to October. Its fruit is about 2.5 mm (0.098 in) long.

How it Got its Name

This plant was first given its scientific name in 1970. A scientist named Paul Wilson named it. He called it Eriostemon rhomboideus. He wrote about it in a science magazine called Nuytsia. He had collected samples of the plant near Lake King in 1964.

Later, in 1998, Paul Wilson changed the name. He renamed it Philotheca rhomboidea. This new name was also published in the same science magazine.

Where it Grows

Philotheca rhomboidea grows in areas with lots of bushes. It often likes to be near granite or laterite rocks. You can find it between Wongan Hills and near Esperance. These places are all in the south-west of Western Australia.

Conservation Status

The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at this plant. They say Philotheca rhomboidea is "not threatened." This means there are enough of these plants. They are not in danger of disappearing.