Prostanthera pedicellata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prostanthera pedicellata |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
pedicellata
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Prostanthera pedicellata is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the mint family, called Lamiaceae. This plant only grows in a small part of Western Australia. It is a small bush with sticky branches, oval-shaped leaves, and pretty red flowers.
About the Red Mintbush
Prostanthera pedicellata is a bush that usually grows between 0.3 and 1 meter tall. Its branches are smooth and covered with tiny sticky glands.
Its leaves grow along the branches. They are narrow and shaped like an egg, about 5 to 8 millimeters long. They are also about 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters wide. The leaves sit very close to the stem.
Each flower has a small stem, called a pedicel, which is 8 to 15 millimeters long. The flower also has sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. These sepals form a tube about 4 to 5 millimeters long. This tube has two parts, or lobes, that are about 2.5 to 3 millimeters long.
The petals of the flower are red and about 20 to 25 millimeters long. They form a tube that is 11 to 15 millimeters long. The bottom part of the petal tube has three lobes. The middle lobe is shaped like an egg and is 3 to 5 millimeters long. The two side lobes are about 2 millimeters long. The top part of the flower is 5 to 6 millimeters long and 8 to 10 millimeters wide. It has a small notch up to 1 millimeter deep in the center. This plant flowers from August to November.
Naming the Plant
Prostanthera pedicellata was first officially named in 1984. A scientist named Barry Conn described it in a science journal called the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden. He used plant samples collected by Eric Ashby in 1969. These samples were found near a place called Pindar.
Where It Grows
This mintbush grows on plains where the soil has ironstone gravel. It is only found near Pindar in Western Australia. This area is known as the Avon Wheatbelt region. Sadly, the number of these plants is going down. This is because land in the area is being cleared for other uses.
Protecting the Plant
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has given Prostanthera pedicellata a special status. It is called "Priority One". This means that the plant is only found in one or a few places. These places are at risk, so the plant needs special protection to survive.
