Tenterfield mint-bush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tenterfield mint-bush |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prostanthera
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| Species: |
staurophylla
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Prostanthera staurophylla, also known as the Tenterfield mint-bush, is a special type of flowering plant. It belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. This plant is only found in a small area of New South Wales, Australia, on the New England Tableland. It's a shrub that stands upright or spreads out, and it has a strong, minty smell. Its flowers are a pretty bluish-mauve color with darker marks.
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What it Looks Like
The Tenterfield mint-bush is a shrub that usually grows to be about 1 to 1.8 meters (3 to 6 feet) tall. Its branches are covered in soft white hairs. The plant has a strong, fresh smell, like mint!
Its leaves can be lime green or dark green. They are shaped like an oval or a spoon, and often have three main parts, like a cross. These leaves are quite small, only about 2 to 9 millimeters long.
The flowers are bluish-mauve with darker spots. They are about 15 to 18 millimeters long. Each flower grows by itself where a leaf meets the stem. The plant usually flowers from August to December, which is late winter to early summer in Australia.
How it Was Discovered
The Tenterfield mint-bush was first officially described in 1875. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller wrote about it. He used plants that were found between the town of Tenterfield and the Severn River by a person named Charles Stuart.
Where it Lives
This special mint-bush is only found near Tenterfield in New South Wales. It likes to grow in open, sunny spots. You can often find it near large granite rocks. It grows alongside other plants like Kunzea and Leptospermum species.
For a long time, people thought this plant might have disappeared. But in 2001, two scientists, John T. Hunter and J.B. Williams, found it again! They discovered a plant in the Mount Mackenzie Nature Reserve. This was the first time anyone had seen the species in 130 years!
Protecting the Tenterfield Mint-Bush
The Tenterfield mint-bush is a rare plant, and it needs our help to survive. The Australian government lists it as "vulnerable." This means it could become endangered if we don't protect it. The New South Wales government considers it "endangered," which is an even more serious level of risk.
There are a few reasons why this plant is in danger:
- There are not many of these plants left in the wild.
- Animals like pigs and goats sometimes eat the plants or disturb their growing areas.
- People walking through its habitat can accidentally step on and damage the plants.
- Sometimes, people illegally collect wildflowers, which can harm the plant's population.
Protecting this unique plant helps keep our natural world healthy and diverse.
