Sand mintbush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sand mintbush |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
ammophila
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Prostanthera ammophila, often called the sand mintbush, is a type of flowering plant. It is part of the mint family, known as Lamiaceae. This plant is special because it is endemic to southern areas of South Australia. This means it only grows naturally in that region. It's a bushy plant that can grow upright or spread out. It has leaves that are shaped like eggs or are long and narrow. Its flowers are white and purple, with cool yellow spots inside.
What it Looks Like
The sand mintbush is a bushy plant that typically grows between 0.6 m (2 ft 0 in) and 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) tall. Its stems are covered in many soft, silvery-green hairs. The leaves are silvery-green to light green. They are shaped like an egg or are long and narrow. Each leaf is about 7 mm (0.28 in) to 13 mm (0.51 in) long and 2.5 mm (0.098 in) to 5.5 mm (0.22 in) wide. They are attached directly to the stem without a stalk.
The flowers grow one by one where the upper leaves meet the stem. Each flower sits on a tiny stalk, about 1 mm (0.039 in) to 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The green leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud, called sepals, have a purple color. They form a tube about 2.5 mm (0.098 in) to 4 mm (0.16 in) long. This tube has two broad, egg-shaped sections.
The colorful flower petals are about 13 mm (0.51 in) to 15 mm (0.59 in) long. They are white near the bottom and turn purple or mauve towards the tip. Inside, they have yellow spots. The petals are joined together to form a tube about 7 mm (0.28 in) to 9 mm (0.35 in) long. The lower part of the flower has three sections, and the upper part has two sections.
How it Was Named
The sand mintbush, Prostanthera ammophila, was first officially described in 1988. A scientist named Barry Conn wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. He studied plant samples collected near Yardea Station in 1969.
Meaning of its Name
The second part of the plant's scientific name, ammophila, has a special meaning. It comes from two Greek words:
- ammos, which means "sand"
- philos, which means "loving"
So, ammophila means "sand-loving". This name tells us that the plant likes to grow in sandy soil.
Where it Grows
This mintbush plant grows in specific areas of South Australia. You can find it on sand dunes and rocky hills. It grows in places like the Gawler Ranges and the Eyre Peninsula.
