Pink velvet bush facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pink velvet bush
Scientific classification
Genus:	Lasiopetalum
Species:	behrii

The Lasiopetalum behrii, also called the pink velvet bush, is a type of shrub that grows only in southern Australia. This means it is "endemic" or native to that area. It can grow up to 1.5 meters tall, which is about as tall as a person. Its leaves are long and narrow, usually 4 to 9 centimeters long and 0.5 to 3 centimeters wide. The edges of the leaves curl back, and their undersides are covered in soft, rusty-colored hairs.

What Does the Pink Velvet Bush Look Like?

The flowers of the pink velvet bush appear from late winter through spring. They have petals that are reddish-brown. The outer part of the flower, called the calyx (which protects the bud), is white on the outside and pink on the inside. After the flowers, the plant grows a hairy seed pod. This seed pod is small, about 4 to 8 millimeters across.

Where Does the Pink Velvet Bush Grow?

You can find the pink velvet bush in several parts of Australia. It grows in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales.

Who Discovered This Plant?

A botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller was the first to officially describe this plant in 1855. He wrote about it in a scientific paper called Transactions of the Philosophical Society of Victoria. He noted that he found it in the Mallee scrublands near the Murray River and Gulf St Vincent. The plant was named behrii to honor Hans Hermann Behr, who was the first person to discover it.

Is the Pink Velvet Bush in Danger?

Yes, in New South Wales, the pink velvet bush is listed as "critically endangered." This means there are very few of these plants left, and they are at a very high risk of disappearing forever. Laws like the Threatened Species Conservation Act help protect plants like the pink velvet bush.

Images for kids

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  This picture shows the pink velvet bush growing in Venus Bay Conservation Park.