Mount Illbillee mintbush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Illbillee mintbush |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
nudula
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| Where this plant grows (from AVH data) | |
The Mount Illbillee mintbush (scientific name: Prostanthera nudula) is a special flowering plant found only in South Australia. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which includes many mint plants. This plant is a type of bush with branches that can become spiky. It has narrow, oval-shaped leaves and pretty pale cream-coloured flowers with yellow dots inside.
What it Looks Like
The Mount Illbillee mintbush is a bush that can grow upright or spread out. It usually reaches a height of about 0.5 to 2 metres. As the branches get older, they become stiff and spiny.
Its leaves are quite narrow and oval, usually about 4 to 10.5 millimetres long and 1.3 to 2.2 millimetres wide. They grow on a small stalk called a petiole.
The flowers are very interesting! They are pale cream with bright yellow spots inside. Each flower is about 8 to 11 millimetres long. The petals form a shape with different lobes. The lower part of the flower has three lobes, and the upper part looks broadly egg-shaped. This plant usually blooms from September to October.
How it Got its Name
Scientists give every plant a unique scientific name. The Mount Illbillee mintbush was first officially described in 1957. A scientist named Enid Lucy Robertson published its description. She used notes from another scientist, John McConnell Black. The plant was first found by J.B. Cleland in the Everard Ranges in 1950.
Where it Lives
The Mount Illbillee mintbush is found only in South Australia. It loves to grow among granite rocks, often close to streams or other water sources. You can find many of these plants in the Everard Ranges. They also grow in the Musgrave Ranges, which are nearby.
