Pityrodia lanuginosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pityrodia lanuginosa |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pityrodia
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| Species: |
lanuginosa
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| Occurrence data from the ALA | |
Pityrodia lanuginosa is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the mint family called Lamiaceae. You can only find it in a place called Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. This plant is a fuzzy, spreading bush. It has leaves arranged in four rows. Its flowers are off-white and look like bells, with cool dark purple stripes.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
Pityrodia lanuginosa is a spreading bush. It grows to about 30 cm (10 in) tall. Its branches are covered with lots of soft, woolly hairs.
The leaves are shaped like narrow eggs or spears. They are usually 10–20 cm (4–8 in) long and 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) wide. The top of the leaves is mostly smooth. The bottom has clear veins that stick out.
Its Flowers and Fruit
The flowers grow one by one. They appear where the leaves meet the stem (this spot is called an axil). Each flower has small, leaf-like parts called bracts. It also has tiny, narrow, spear-shaped bracteoles at its base. These are about 3–7 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long.
The sepals are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. They join together for about half their length. This forms a bell-shaped tube. It has five spear-shaped, slightly hairy tips. These tips are 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long.
The five petals are off-white. They are 7–9 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long. They also join to form a bell-shaped tube. At the end of the tube are five lobes or sections. The two top lobes have dark purple streaks. They are about 3 mm (0.1 in) long. The lower middle lobe is bigger than the others.
The petal tube and its lobes are mostly smooth. But there is a thick ring of hairs below the stamens. The four stamens are the parts that make pollen. They stick out past the end of the tube. The bottom two stamens are a bit longer than the others.
This plant usually flowers from January to June. After flowering, it grows an oval-shaped, hairy fruit. The fruit is about 3–4.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and 2 mm (0.08 in) wide.
Its Name and Discovery
The plant Pityrodia lanuginosa was first officially described in 1979. A scientist named Ahmad Abid Munir did this. He found a sample of the plant near El Sharana in Arnhem Land. The description was then published in a science journal called Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.
Where Does It Grow?
This type of pityrodia plant grows in Arnhem Land. This area includes famous places like Kakadu National Park and Nitmiluk National Park.
Is It Safe?
Pityrodia lanuginosa is classified as "least concern." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing. This classification is under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2000.
