Spreading grevillea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spreading grevillea |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Grevillea
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| Species: |
humifusa
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The Spreading Grevillea (Grevillea humifusa) is a special type of plant. It's a low-growing shrub that spreads out along the ground. You can only find it in a small area of Western Australia. Sadly, this plant is in great danger of disappearing from the wild. It is considered critically endangered.
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What is the Spreading Grevillea?
This plant grows from a special underground stem called a lignotuber. This helps it survive things like bushfires. The plant itself grows up to about 15 centimeters (6 inches) tall. Its long stems can spread out up to 1.8 meters (6 feet) across the ground.
The leaves of the Spreading Grevillea are a pretty grey to grey-green color. They are quite small, about 1.5 to 2 centimeters long.
Flowers of the Spreading Grevillea
In the spring, this plant gets beautiful pink to red flowers. These flowers grow in clusters called racemes. Each cluster is about 2 centimeters long and appears at the end of the branches.
Where Does the Spreading Grevillea Live?
The Spreading Grevillea is very rare. It only grows in one small area near a town called Eneabba. This town is south of Geraldton.
There are only about 1,500 of these plants left in the wild. They grow on private land used for pasture (where animals graze). They also grow along the sides of roads nearby.
Why is it Endangered?
Because there are so few Spreading Grevillea plants, they are protected by law. Both the state and federal governments in Australia have laws to help save them:
- In 1996, it was named "Rare Flora" under a Western Australian law called the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950.
- It is also listed as "Endangered" under a national law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. These laws help protect the plant and its habitat.
How Was it Named?
The first samples of the Spreading Grevillea were collected in 1968. This was done by H. Demarz from Kings Park and Botanic Garden in the Eneabba area.
Before it got its official name, Grevillea humifusa was known by other names. These are called synonyms. Think of them as nicknames before its real name was decided.
- Grevillea sp. Eragilga P. Olde
- Grevillea thelemanniana 'form e' D.J.McGillivray & R.O.Makinson (1993)
People who grew these plants in gardens also had different names for them:
- Grevillea thelemanniana (prostrate form)
- Grevillea thelemanniana (grey-leaf form)
Growing the Spreading Grevillea
Even though it's rare in the wild, the Spreading Grevillea is grown by plant nurseries. People grow it as an ornamental plant, which means it's grown for its beauty.
It's often used as a groundcover in gardens. This means it spreads out to cover the ground. It's also popular in drought-tolerant landscaping. This type of gardening uses plants that don't need much water, which is great for dry areas.
See also
In Spanish: Grevillea humifusa para niños
