Snowy River westringia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snowy River westringia |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Westringia
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| Species: |
cremnophila
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The Westringia cremnophila, also known as the Snowy River westringia, is a special and rare shrub. It only grows in Victoria, Australia.
What Does It Look Like?
This shrub usually grows up to half a metre tall, which is about 20 inches. Its leaves are long and narrow, like tiny lines. They are usually between 10 to 20 millimetres long and 1 to 2 millimetres wide.
The flowers of the Snowy River westringia are very pretty. They grow in clusters called racemes. Each flower is white with a hint of light purple, like a soft mauve colour. Inside the flower's throat, you can see yellow-brown spots.
How Was It Discovered?
A botanist named Norman Wakefield first officially described this plant in 1957. He wrote about it in a science magazine called The Victorian Naturalist. The plant he studied was found near the "Porphory cliffs above Snowy River, east of Butchers Ridge." This special plant helped scientists learn more about it.
Where Does It Grow?
The Snowy River westringia is very particular about where it lives. It can only be found in a place called Tulloch Ard Gorge. This gorge is located inside the Snowy River National Park in East Gippsland, Australia.
You'll find these plants growing on the sides of cliffs high above the Snowy River. They like to grow on parts of the cliff that face north or north-east. Other plants that grow nearby include the shrubby platysace (Platysace lanceolata), violet daisy-bush (Olearia iodochroa), digger's speedwell (Veronica perfoliata), common fringe-myrtle (Calytrix tetragona), and tall baeckea (Sannantha pluriflora).
Why Is It Protected?
The Snowy River westringia is a rare plant, so it needs special protection. It is listed as "vulnerable" under a big Australian law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This means it's at risk of becoming endangered.
It's also listed as "vulnerable" by the Department of Sustainability and Environment in Victoria. Another Victorian law, the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988, calls it "threatened." All these listings help protect the plant and its home.
Because this plant lives in hard-to-reach places on cliffs, it has been difficult for scientists to find many of them. However, in 2011, about 500 plants were discovered, which was great news!
To help make sure this plant doesn't disappear, some plants have been grown at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. These plants act like a "backup" population, just in case something happens to the ones in the wild.
