Robust coneflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Robust coneflower |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Isopogon
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| Species: |
robustus
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Isopogon robustus is a special kind of plant. It belongs to the Proteaceae family, which has many unique plants. This plant is only found in a small area in the southwest of Western Australia. It's a shrub, which means it's a bushy plant. It has long, round leaves and pretty pink flowers shaped like eggs.
Contents
What Does This Plant Look Like?
Isopogon robustus is a shrub that usually grows to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. It can also spread out to about 2 meters (6.5 feet) wide. Its small branches are a brownish color.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of this plant are shaped like cylinders, almost like thin tubes. They can be up to 150 millimeters (about 6 inches) long. They are also about 2.5 to 3.3 millimeters (about 0.1 inches) wide. These leaves grow directly from the stem without a stalk.
The flowers are a lovely pink color. They grow in oval-shaped groups, called heads. Each head has about 19 to 25 flowers. These flower heads are about 38 millimeters (about 1.5 inches) across. At the bottom of each flower head, there are special leaf-like parts called involucral bracts. They are shaped like eggs.
When Does It Bloom?
This plant usually blooms in October. After the flowers, it produces a fruit. This fruit is a small, hairy nut. Each nut is about 3 to 3.5 millimeters (about 0.1 inches) long. Many of these nuts grow together to form a round head. This head of nuts can be anywhere from 9 to 24 millimeters (0.35 to 0.94 inches) wide.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The plant Isopogon robustus was officially described in 2005. A botanist named Neil Gibson wrote about it in a science journal called Muelleria. He used notes from another botanist, Donald Bruce Foreman, who had passed away.
Meaning of the Name
The second part of its scientific name, robustus, means "strong" or "robust." This name was chosen because the plant has thick leaves and large flowers. This makes it look very sturdy!
Where Does This Plant Grow?
This special Isopogon plant grows in a type of soil called laterite. Laterite is a reddish soil often found in tropical areas.
Its Home in Western Australia
However, this plant is very rare. It is only found in one small area in the Parker Range. This area is near a town called Southern Cross. This location is in the southwest part of Western Australia. Scientists have found only about 120 of these plants in this one spot. This makes it a very unique and important plant to protect!
