Prostanthera athertoniana facts for kids

Prostanthera athertoniana is a special type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which includes many mint plants. This plant is only found in a small part of Queensland, Australia. It's a small, bushy plant with lots of leaves. Its leaves smell very strong and are shaped like ovals or eggs. The plant also has pretty purplish-mauve flowers. These flowers grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem.

What Prostanthera athertoniana Looks Like

Prostanthera athertoniana is a shrub with many leaves. It usually grows to about 1 meter (3 feet) tall. Its stems are covered in tiny hairs and are shaped like cylinders.

Leaves and Scent

The leaves of this plant have a strong, pleasant smell. They are a dull green color, but lighter underneath. Each leaf is shaped like an oval or an egg. They are about 15–20 mm long and 6–8 mm wide. A small stalk, called a petiole, connects the leaf to the stem.

Flowers and Their Appearance

The flowers grow one at a time. You can find them near the ends of the branches. Each flower sits on a small stalk called a pedicel. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are green and purple. They are covered in white hairs on the outside. These sepals form a tube about 2.5 mm long.

The petals are purplish-mauve and also have hairs. They are about 10–12 mm long. The flower has a lower lip with three parts, and an upper lip with two parts. These parts give the flower its unique shape.

How Prostanthera athertoniana Got Its Name

This plant was first officially described in 2015. Two scientists, Barry Conn and Trevor Wilson, gave it its name. They wrote about it in a science journal called Telopea. The plant was found on Kahlpahlim Rock, which is now part of Dinden National Park.

Where Prostanthera athertoniana Lives

This special mintbush is only known from one place. It grows on Kahlpahlim Rock in Queensland, Australia. It prefers to live in "windswept heath" areas. This means it grows in open, windy places with low-growing plants.

Conservation Status of the Mintbush

The Queensland Government has looked at Prostanthera athertoniana. They have classified it as being of "least concern." This means that, for now, there are enough of these plants. They are not currently at risk of disappearing. This classification is under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.