Rhadinothamnus euphemiae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rhadinothamnus euphemiae |
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Rhadinothamnus
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R. euphemiae
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| Rhadinothamnus euphemiae (Muell) Paul G.Wilson
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The Rhadinothamnus euphemiae is a small, thin, upright shrub. It has branchlets that look like needles and are covered in shiny, silver scales. This plant also has greenish-purple, tube-shaped flowers that bloom all year round. You can only find it along the south coast of Western Australia. This means it is endemic to that area, growing naturally nowhere else in the world.
What the Rhadinothamnus Euphemiae Looks Like
This plant is a small, slender shrub that can grow up to about 1 meter (or 3 feet) tall. Its branches are thin and shaped like needles, covered with many silvery scales.
The leaves grow close together on short side branches. They are narrow and triangular, tapering down to a thin stem called a petiole. Each leaf is about 1 to 2 centimeters long. They often have two parts that spread out. The leaves feel leathery and smooth. Sometimes, they might feel a bit rough or have a few scales on top. Underneath, they are covered in tiny, star-shaped hairs that are matted together.
The flowers grow one by one on short branchlets, which are only 1 to 2 millimeters long. At the base of each flower, there are 2 to 4 thin, linear-shaped bracts (small leaf-like structures).
The calyx (the outer part of the flower that protects the bud) has silvery scales. It's shaped like half a sphere and is about 3 millimeters long. Its triangular parts are 1 to 2 millimeters long. The flower's tube has narrow, oblong to oval-shaped petals, which are about 15 millimeters long. The inside of the petals is purple and smooth, while the outside is greenish with scale-like hairs. The stamens (the parts that produce pollen) are smooth and are about the same length as the petals.
After flowering, the plant produces a narrow fruit called a capsule, which is about 5 millimeters long and rounded. This shrub can bloom at different times throughout the year.
How the Rhadinothamnus Euphemiae Was Named
This plant was first officially described in 1863 by a scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller. He gave it the name Nematolepis euphemiae. He published this description in a scientific book called Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae.
Later, in 1971, another scientist named Paul G. Wilson changed its name to Rhadinothamnus euphemiae. This new name was published in a science journal called Nuytsia.
Where the Rhadinothamnus Euphemiae Grows
The Rhadinothamnus euphemiae usually grows on sandy, rocky hillsides and rocky areas. You can find it from the Eyre Range in the west all the way east to Mount Ragged. Both of these places are located on the south coast of Western Australia.
