Prostanthera laricoides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prostanthera laricoides |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
laricoides
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Prostanthera laricoides is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which includes mint plants. This shrub grows only in the inland parts of Western Australia. It's a small plant with fuzzy, sticky branches. Its leaves are shaped like cylinders and grow close together at the end of the branches. The flowers are a soft, light red color.
What it Looks Like
Prostanthera laricoides is a shrub. It usually grows to be about 0.6 to 1.2 meters (2 to 4 feet) tall. Its branches are covered in thick hairs and are also sticky.
The leaves are often found in groups. They grow near the ends of the small branches. Each leaf is shaped like a cylinder. They are about 10 to 18 millimeters long and very thin, about 0.5 millimeters wide. The leaves attach directly to the stem without a stalk.
The flowers grow one by one. They appear where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower sits on a short, hairy stalk about 1 millimeter long. The outer parts of the flower, called sepals, are 4 to 6 millimeters long. They form a tube that is 3 to 4.5 millimeters long. This tube has two small parts, or lobes, at the top.
The petals are a dull, light red color. They are 14 to 18 millimeters long. These petals also form a tube, which is 10 to 12 millimeters long. The bottom part of the petal tube has three lobes. The middle lobe is oblong and 3 to 4 millimeters long. The two side lobes are about 2 millimeters long. The top part of the petal tube is about 4 millimeters long and 5 millimeters wide. It has a small dip or notch in the middle.
This plant flowers for many months. You can see its blooms from August to March.
Plant Names and History
Every plant has a scientific name. This helps scientists around the world know exactly which plant they are talking about. The study of naming and classifying plants is called Taxonomy.
The plant Prostanthera laricoides was first officially described in 1984. A scientist named Barry Conn gave it its name. He wrote about it in a science journal called the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. He studied plant samples collected near a place called Cundeelee in 1967.
Where it Grows
This type of mintbush grows in specific places. It can sometimes be found on rocky ridges. These ridges are often among large granite rocks.
Scientists have found this plant in several areas. These areas are called biogeographic regions. They include the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, and Great Victoria Desert regions. All these places are in Western Australia.
How it is Protected
It's important to know if a plant species is safe or if it's in danger. This is called its conservation status.
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife checks on plants. They have classified Prostanthera laricoides as "not threatened." This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
