Green mintbush facts for kids
The Green Mintbush, known scientifically as Prostanthera chlorantha, is a special flowering plant. It belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. This small shrub is only found in the southeastern part of South Australia. It has small, egg-shaped leaves and pretty flowers. These flowers can be mauve, bluish green, or even greenish red to greenish yellow, often with a hint of pink.
Quick facts for kids Green mintbush |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
chlorantha
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
What the Green Mintbush Looks Like
The Green Mintbush is a shrub that usually grows to about half a meter (0.5 m) tall. It has stems that are mostly round. Its leaves are small, broadly egg-shaped, or almost round. They are about 1 to 3 millimeters long and 1 to 2.5 millimeters wide. These leaves are sessile, which means they attach directly to the stem without a stalk.
The flowers grow on small stalks called pedicels, which are about 5 to 13 millimeters long. The green outer leaves of the flower, called sepals, are often streaked with reddish-purple. They are 8 to 12 millimeters long and form a tube about 5 to 6 millimeters long. This tube has two parts, each 3 to 6 millimeters long and 2 to 4 millimeters wide.
The petals of the flower are 15 to 25 millimeters long. They can be mauve, bluish green, or greenish red to greenish yellow, often with a pink tint. These petals are joined together to form a tube that is 10 to 25 millimeters long. The lower part of the flower has three lobes. The middle lobe is 2 to 5 millimeters long and about 2 millimeters wide. The side lobes are 4 to 5 millimeters long and about 2 millimeters wide. The upper part of the flower is broadly egg-shaped to round, 5 to 10 millimeters long and 10 millimeters wide, with a small notch in the middle.
How the Green Mintbush Got Its Name
The Green Mintbush was first officially described in 1853. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller gave it the name Klanderia chlorantha. He wrote about it in a science journal called Linnaea.
Later, in 1870, Mueller changed the plant's name to Prostanthera chlorantha. This new name was then published by another scientist, George Bentham, in his book Flora Australiensis.
Where the Green Mintbush Grows
The Green Mintbush, Prostanthera chlorantha, is found in different small groups across the southeastern part of South Australia. It grows in areas known as mallee and shrubland. Mallee is a type of Australian bushland where many eucalyptus trees grow as multi-stemmed shrubs. Shrubland is an area mainly covered by shrubs.
