Round-leaved mintbush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Round-leaved mintbush |
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| Mount Arapiles-Tooan State Park, Western Victoria, Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
rotundifolia
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Prostanthera rotundifolia, often called the round-leaved mintbush, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which includes mint plants. This special bush grows only in south-eastern Australia.
It is a shrub, meaning it's a woody plant smaller than a tree. Its branches smell lovely and have tiny hairs and glands. The leaves are shaped like eggs or are quite round. When it blooms, you'll see pretty purple, mauve, or pinkish flowers. These flowers grow at the ends of its branches.
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What Does the Round-Leaved Mintbush Look Like?
The round-leaved mintbush is a shrub that stands upright. It can grow from about half a meter to three meters tall. It can also spread out, becoming about 1.5 to 2.5 meters wide. Its branches have a nice smell and are covered in short hairs and tiny bumps called glands.
Its leaves are shaped like eggs or are almost perfectly round. They are usually between 3 and 20 millimeters long and 3 to 15 millimeters wide. Each leaf has a small stem, called a petiole, that is 2 to 8 millimeters long.
The flowers grow where the leaves meet the stem, especially near the ends of the branches. They have small leaf-like parts called bracteoles, which are 1 to 2 millimeters long. These fall off as the flower grows. The sepals, which protect the flower bud, are 4 to 5 millimeters long. They form a tube that is 2 to 3.5 millimeters long. The petals are purple, mauve, or pinkish and are 2 to 8 millimeters long. They form a cup-shaped tube. This plant usually flowers from September to November.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The scientific name for this plant, Prostanthera rotundifolia, was first officially written down in 1810. A famous botanist named Robert Brown described it. He did this in his important book called Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.
The second part of its name, rotundifolia, is a Latin word. It means "rounded leaves." This name perfectly describes the plant's round or egg-shaped leaves.
Where Does the Round-Leaved Mintbush Grow?
The round-leaved mintbush is found in many places across south-eastern Australia. It grows in woodlands, forests, and along the edges of rainforests. You can often find it in rocky areas. It is very common in the eastern part of New South Wales and the southern part of Victoria.
It also grows in northern and eastern Tasmania, but it's not as common there. In Tasmania, this plant is considered "vulnerable." This means it's at risk of disappearing if not protected. The Tasmanian Government lists it as vulnerable under their Threatened Species Protection Act 1995.
Growing Round-Leaved Mintbush in Gardens
People also like to grow the round-leaved mintbush in their gardens. It's a popular plant for cultivation. There's even a special type of this plant called 'Rosea'. Both the main species and 'Rosea' have won an important prize. This prize is the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. This award means they are excellent plants for gardens.
