Prostanthera grylloana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prostanthera grylloana |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
grylloana
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Prostanthera grylloana is a cool flowering plant that belongs to the Lamiaceae family, also known as the mint family. It's special because it's only found in Western Australia. This plant is a small, upright shrub with fuzzy branches, tiny spoon-shaped leaves, and pretty red or pink flowers.
What it Looks Like
Prostanthera grylloana is an upright shrub. It usually grows to be about 0.3 to 1.5 meters (about 1 to 5 feet) tall. Its small branches are covered in thick, soft hairs.
The leaves are shaped like tiny spoons, about 3 to 5 millimeters long and 2 millimeters wide. They sit on a short stalk called a petiole, which is about 1 millimeter long. Both the leaf and its stalk have a groove down the middle. This makes the two sides of the leaf almost touch each other.
The flowers grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower has a tiny stalk called a pedicel, which is about 1 to 1.5 millimeters long. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are 4 to 6 millimeters long. They form a tube about 4 to 4.5 millimeters long. This tube has two triangular parts, or lobes, at the end. One lobe is about 2 millimeters long, and the other is 3 to 4 millimeters long.
The petals are red to a dull pinkish-purple color. They are 15 to 20 millimeters long and are joined together to form a tube about 10 to 14 millimeters long. This tube has two "lips." The bottom lip has three lobes. The middle lobe is somewhat triangular, about 5 millimeters long and 2 to 3 millimeters wide. The two side lobes are about 2.5 millimeters long. The top lip is 3.5 to 4 millimeters long and 4 millimeters wide. It has a small notch in the center, about 1 millimeter deep. This plant usually blooms in February, May, or from September to December.
How it Got its Name
Prostanthera grylloana was first officially described in 1876. This was done by a famous botanist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He wrote about it in his book Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. The plant was found by Jess Young in the desert area around Ularing.
The second part of the plant's name, grylloana, was chosen to honor an actress named Adelaide Ristori. She was married to a nobleman named Giuliano Capranica del Grillo.
Where it Grows
This type of mintbush likes to grow in certain places in Western Australia. You can find it on rocky hills and ridges made of granite. It also grows on stony hills and gently rolling plains. These areas are part of different natural regions in Western Australia, including the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Mallee, and Murchison regions.
Conservation Status
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at Prostanthera grylloana. They have classified it as "not threatened." This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
