Prostanthera centralis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prostanthera centralis |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
centralis
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Prostanthera centralis is a special kind of flowering plant. It's a shrub that grows in a small area. This area is near the border between the Northern Territory and Western Australia in Australia. It has hairy branches and pretty mauve or blue flowers. This plant is also called a "mintbush" because it belongs to the mint family.
What it Looks Like
Prostanthera centralis is a shrub that stands upright. It usually grows to be about 0.3 to 1 meter (about 1 to 3 feet) tall. Its branches are roundish and covered in lots of tiny hairs.
The leaves are also very hairy. They are shaped like an egg or an oval. Each leaf is about 9 to 20 millimeters (less than an inch) long. They are 4 to 9 millimeters wide. The leaves sit on a short stem called a petiole, which is only about 0.5 to 1.5 millimeters long.
The flowers grow one by one in the leaf corners. There can be many flowers on the ends of the branches. Each flower has a hairy little stalk, called a pedicel, about 1.5 to 3.5 millimeters long.
The green sepals (leaf-like parts under the petals) have a purplish tip. They form a tube about 2.5 to 5 millimeters long. The petals are a lovely purplish-blue or mauve color. They are about 11 to 16 millimeters long. These petals form a tube about 8 to 10.5 millimeters long.
The flowers have two "lips." The lower lip has three rounded parts. The middle part is egg-shaped or almost round. The two side parts are smaller. The upper lip has two egg-shaped parts. This plant blooms, or flowers, from July to October.
How it Got its Name
The plant Prostanthera centralis was first officially described in 1988. A scientist named Barry Conn gave it its name. He wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. He studied plants collected from the Dean Range, near a place called Kaltukatjara.
Where it Lives
This special mintbush grows on rocky, sloped areas. These areas are called "scree slopes." You can find it in the Central Ranges bioregion. This is an area of land with similar plants and animals. It's right near the border between the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Protecting the Plant
Prostanthera centralis is listed as "Priority Three" by the government of Western Australia. This means a few important things:
- It's not very well known.
- It's only found in a few places.
- But, it's not in immediate danger of disappearing.
Scientists keep an eye on plants like this to make sure they stay safe.
