Prostanthera prostantheroides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prostanthera prostantheroides |
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Prostanthera
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prostantheroides
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Prostanthera prostantheroides is a special plant found only in Western Australia. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which includes mint plants! This plant is a small bush with leaves shaped like hearts or circles. Its flowers are usually white, with cool purple spots inside.
About the Plant
Prostanthera prostantheroides is a small shrub. It usually grows up to 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) tall. As the plant gets older, its stems can become a bit spiky.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of this plant are tiny. They are shaped like a heart or a circle. Each leaf is only about 1 to 4 millimeters long. They grow on a very short stem called a petiole.
The flowers grow at the ends of the branches. Each flower sits on a small stalk called a pedicel. At the bottom of these stalks, there are small leaf-like parts called bracteoles. These fall off as the flower opens.
The flower has two main parts: sepals and petals. The sepals form a small tube at the base of the flower. The petals are the colorful parts. They are white, but they have purple, mauve, violet, or even red spots inside. The petals form a tube about 7 millimeters long. The flowers usually bloom in August, September, or October.
How it Got Its Name
This plant was first officially described in 1876. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller gave it the name Wrixonia prostantheroides. He wrote about it in his book, Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae. He studied plants collected near Mount Churchman by Jess Young.
Later, in 2012, three other scientists changed its name. Trevor Wilson, Murray Henwood, and Barry Conn renamed it Prostanthera prostantheroides. They published this new name in a science journal called Telopea.
Where it Grows
Prostanthera prostantheroides is found only in Western Australia. It grows in several different natural areas. These areas include the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Murchison, and Yalgoo regions.
Conservation Status
Good news! The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife says this plant is "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
