Prostanthera splendens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prostanthera splendens |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
splendens
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Prostanthera splendens is a special kind of flowering plant that belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which also includes mint! This plant is found only in Western Australia, making it endemic to that area. It's a small, bushy plant that spreads out, with tiny, egg-shaped leaves that feel a bit sticky because they have many glands. Its beautiful flowers are usually a lovely shade of mauve or light purple, and they are even paler inside with small, darker dots.
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What Does It Look Like?
Prostanthera splendens is a shrub that usually grows to be about 0.4–0.5 m (1 ft 4 in – 1 ft 8 in) tall, which is less than half the height of an average person. It has round, smooth branches.
Its leaves are mostly smooth and shaped like an egg or an oval. They are small, about 3.5–6 mm (0.14–0.24 in) long and 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) wide. Some leaves are attached directly to the stem (called sessile), while others have a very short stalk (a petiole) up to 0.6 mm (0.024 in) long.
The flowers grow one by one where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower sits on a small stalk (a pedicel) about 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. The green parts at the base of the flower, called sepals, form a tube about 4.5–5.5 mm (0.18–0.22 in) long. This tube has two parts, or lobes, at the top.
The petals are mauve to light purple, but they are lighter on the inside of the flower's tube. They also have small mauve or reddish-brown dots. The petals are about 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long and form a tube about 8.5–10 mm (0.33–0.39 in) long. The bottom part of the petal tube has three sections, with the middle section shaped like a spoon or an egg. The top part of the flower has a small notch in the middle.
How Was It Named?
The plant Prostanthera splendens was officially named in 1988 by a scientist named Barry Conn. He wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. He studied samples of the plant that were collected by another botanist, Charles Gardner, way back in 1931 near a place called Mount Barloweerie.
Where Does It Grow?
This special mintbush likes to grow in rocky soil found on "breakaways," which are steep slopes or cliffs. You can find it in the Coolgardie and Mallee areas of Western Australia. These are specific natural regions in the state.
Why Is It Important to Protect?
The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife has listed Prostanthera splendens as "Priority One". This means that the plant is only found in one or a few places, and these places might be at risk. Because it's so rare, it's very important to protect this plant and its habitat!
