Scaevola repens facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Scaevola repens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Goodeniaceae
Genus:	Scaevola
Species:	S. repens
Binomial name
Scaevola repens de Vriese
Occurrence data from AVH
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Synonyms
Dampiera repens var. angustifolia de Vriese

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Scaevola repens is a type of shrub that belongs to the Goodeniaceae plant family. It is only found in the southwest part of Western Australia.

What it Looks Like

Scaevola repens is a plant that grows flat on the ground. Its branches can spread out up to 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) long.

Its leaves don't have stalks; they attach directly to the stem. The edges of the leaves are smooth. Sometimes, they have tiny hairs where the leaf meets the stem. Each leaf can be up to 9 centimeters (about 3.5 inches) long and 1.5 centimeters (about 0.6 inches) wide.

The flowers grow in clusters called spikes. These spikes come out from where the leaves meet the stem and can be up to 3 centimeters (about 1.2 inches) long. Small, leaf-like parts called bracts are found near the flowers.

The sepals, which are tiny leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud, are like a small rim, only about 1 millimeter long. The main part of the flower, called the corolla, is 8 to 15 millimeters long. It has thick, flat, golden or yellowish hairs on the outside. Inside, it's also hairy, especially on the 'lobes' (the flower's petals) and the 'throat' (the opening). The flowers are usually white or cream, but sometimes they can be light purple.

The fruit of the plant is shaped like an oval. It is about 4 millimeters long and has a bumpy, 'warty' surface.

What makes this plant special compared to other Scaevola species is the golden or yellowish hairs on the outside of its flowers.

How it Got its Name

A Dutch botanist named Willem Hendrik de Vriese first described and named this plant in 1845. He studied a plant sample collected in 1839 from sandy areas near Perth.

The second part of its name, repens, comes from a Latin word that means "to creep." This describes how the plant grows low to the ground, with its stems spreading out.

Where it Lives

Scaevola repens is found in several areas of Western Australia. These areas include the Avon Wheatbelt, the Geraldton Sandplains, the Jarrah Forest, and the Swan Coastal Plain.

Images for kids

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  A close-up of the Scaevola repens plant.

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  A map showing where Scaevola repens is found in Australia.