Prostanthera cruciflora facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prostanthera cruciflora |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Prostanthera |
| Species: |
P. cruciflora
|
| Binomial name | |
| Prostanthera cruciflora J.H.Willis
|
|
 |
|
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
| Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist. | |
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
Prostanthera cruciflora is a special flowering plant that grows only in New South Wales, Australia. It's a type of mint bush because it has a strong, fresh smell. This plant is a tall shrub with egg-shaped leaves and pretty white flowers that have yellow stripes. These flowers grow in small groups at the ends of its branches.
What Does the Mint Bush Look Like?
Prostanthera cruciflora is a tall, strongly scented shrub. It usually grows to be about 1.5 to 2 meters (5 to 6.5 feet) high. Its branches are covered with many tiny glands, which are like small bumps that make the plant feel a bit sticky or give it its strong smell.
Its leaves are greyish-green and shaped like an egg. They are about 6 to 20 millimeters (0.2 to 0.8 inches) long and 8 to 15 millimeters (0.3 to 0.6 inches) wide. Each leaf sits on a small stalk called a petiole, which is about 3 to 10 millimeters (0.1 to 0.4 inches) long. The leaves also have many glands.
The flowers grow in groups of about eight. Each flower has parts called sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. These sepals are about 8 millimeters (0.3 inches) long. The white petals are 6 to 9 millimeters (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and have yellow streaks on their lower part. You can see these beautiful flowers from August to December.
How Did it Get Its Name?
The plant Prostanthera cruciflora was first officially described in 1967 by a scientist named James Hamlyn Willis. He wrote about it in a science journal called Muelleria.
The second part of its scientific name, cruciflora, is a special word. It means "cross-shaped flower." This name was chosen because the lower part of the flower's petals looks a bit like a cross.
Where Does the Mint Bush Grow?
This mint bush likes to grow in areas with low, open shrubs, often on rocky places that get a lot of sun. You can find it in the Mount Kaputar National Park and on other nearby mountain ranges in New South Wales.
