Scaevola basedowii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scaevola basedowii |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Goodeniaceae |
| Genus: | Scaevola |
| Species: |
S. basedowii
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| Binomial name | |
| Scaevola basedowii Carolin
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| Occurrence data from Australasian Virtual Herbarium | |
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Scaevola basedowii is a cool, bushy plant that grows upright and has many stems. It's part of the Goodeniaceae plant family. You can only find this special shrub growing naturally in parts of Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and South Australia.
Contents
What Does Scaevola basedowii Look Like?
Scaevola basedowii is an upright, bushy plant that can grow up to 60 centimeters (about 2 feet) tall. It often spreads out by growing new plants from its roots, like a clone!
Its stems have ridges and are covered in tiny hairs. Some of these hairs have glands at the tip, while others are short, stiff, and plain. You might also see some longer, plain hairs scattered around.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves grow directly from the stem without a stalk. They are arranged one after another along the stem. The lower leaves are usually bigger, while the upper ones can look like small scales. The shape of the leaves can be oblong, oval, spear-shaped, or triangular. Their edges are smooth, without any teeth or cuts. They can be a bit hairy or very hairy, with the same types of hairs found on the stems. These leaves are usually 2.5 to 21 millimeters long and 2 to 4 millimeters wide.
The flowers have five lobes and grow on stalks. The main part of the flower is a tube that is more than one-third of its total length. Each lobe has small wings along its edges. The flowers are usually pale purple to white and are split almost to the bottom on one side. Inside the flower's throat, you'll find a beard-like patch of hairs.
The plant has five stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen. The style, which is part of the female reproductive system, has a special cup-like structure called an indusium at its tip. This indusium holds the pollen that has been released and covers the two-lobed stigma (the part that receives pollen). The indusium is covered in thick, whitish bristles, with shorter bristles around its opening.
Fruit
The ovary, which holds the seeds, is oval-shaped and very hairy, with two sections. The fruit itself is also oval-shaped, and you can still see the calyx (the green leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud) at its base.
When Does It Flower?
In Western Australia, Scaevola basedowii usually flowers from May to December. In the Northern Territory, you can find it flowering and fruiting almost all year round, from January to December! In South Australia, it's known to flower at any time of the year.
How Is It Different from Other Plants?
Scaevola basedowii looks a lot like two other plants: S. depauperata and S. parvifolia subsp. parvifolia.
- S. depauperata has smooth stems or stems with very tiny hairs that are hard to see. S. basedowii has more noticeable hairs.
- S. parvifolia subsp. parvifolia has a shorter calyx (1 to 2 millimeters long) where the lobes are joined for less than one-third of its length. In contrast, S. basedowii has a longer calyx (2 to 3.5 millimeters long). Also, the stems of S. parvifolia subsp. parvifolia feel fuzzy because they have a longer and denser layer of hairs.
Where Does Scaevola basedowii Live?
This plant is found in different parts of Australia.
In Western Australia, you can find Scaevola basedowii in areas like the Central Ranges, Coolgardie, Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, Little Sandy Desert, and Murchison regions.
In the Northern Territory, it grows in the Burt Plain, Central Ranges, Finke, Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, MacDonnell Ranges, and Tanami regions.
In South Australia, it is found in the northwest part of the state.
This plant likes to grow on sand dunes and flat sandy areas called sandplains.
How Was Scaevola basedowii Named?
The scientific name Scaevola basedowii was first given to this plant in 1980 by a scientist named Roger Charles Carolin. He wrote about it in a science journal called Telopea.
Meaning of the Names
The first part of the name, Scaevola, comes from a Latin word meaning "left-handed." This is a nod to an ancient Roman hero named Gaius Mucius Scaevola, who was famous for being left-handed. The flower of this plant is said to look a bit like a hand, which is why it got this name.
The second part of the name, basedowii, honors the person who first collected a sample of this plant for scientific study. His name was Herbert Basedow (1881-1933).
