Scaevola humifusa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scaevola humifusa |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Scaevola (plant)
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| Species: |
humifusa
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Scaevola humifusa is a special type of plant. It is also known as the procumbent scaevola. This plant is a low-growing shrub. It belongs to the Goodeniaceae plant family. You can find it growing naturally in Western Australia.
This shrub usually grows very close to the ground. It can be as short as 1 centimeter. The tallest it gets is about half a meter (50 centimeters). Its pretty flowers are white or cream. Some might even have a hint of blue. You can often see these flowers from August to November. Sometimes, they bloom as late as January.
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What Does the Procumbent Scaevola Look Like?
The Scaevola humifusa is a shrub that spreads out. It grows along the ground like a carpet. Its stems can reach up to 40 centimeters long. The plant is covered in soft, short hairs.
Leaves and Stems
The leaves of this plant are thick. They do not have stalks. Their edges are smooth. Each leaf blade is small. They are about 5 to 20 millimeters long. They are also 1 to 4 millimeters wide. You can see fuzzy, woolly hairs where the leaves meet the stem.
Flowers and Fruit
The flowers grow in small clusters. These clusters are called racemes. They are found where the leaves join the stem. Each flower cluster is about 10 millimeters long. The sepals are very tiny. They are only about 0.5 millimeters long. The main part of the flower is called the corolla. It is 7 to 11 millimeters long. The outside of the corolla is hairy. The inside, near the throat, is also very hairy.
The flowers are usually white or cream. They often have thin green or brown lines. After the flowers, small fruits appear. These fruits are shaped like an egg, but wider at the top. They are 2 to 4 millimeters long. They might have small ridges. These fruits usually have only one seed inside.
Where Does the Procumbent Scaevola Grow?
This plant is found in several areas of Western Australia. These areas are part of the IBRA Regions. You can find it in places like the Avon Wheatbelt. It also grows in the Coolgardie region. Other areas include the Esperance Plains and the Geraldton Sandplains. It is also present in the Mallee region and the Swan Coastal Plain.
Preferred Habitat
The procumbent scaevola likes to grow in certain types of soil. It grows well in sandy soils. It also likes clayey soils. You can often see it on flat areas that are a bit salty. It also thrives in open heathlands. These are areas with low-growing shrubs. It can also be found in mallee areas. Mallee is a type of bushland with many-stemmed eucalyptus trees.
How Was This Plant Named?
The Scaevola humifusa was first described a long time ago. It was named by a person named Willem Hendrik de Vriese. He described it in 1810. The second part of its name, humifusa, is a special Latin word. It comes from two Latin words. "Humus" means "ground." "Fusus" means "fell down" or "spread." So, humifusa describes the plant perfectly. It means "spreading over the ground" or "lying on the ground."
