Paper flower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Paper flower |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Thomasia
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| Species: |
petalocalyx
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Thomasia petalocalyx, often called the paper flower, is a special plant. It grows only in certain parts of southern and western Australia. Its pretty flowers look like tiny bells. They are a soft pink color and have five delicate, papery parts. These flowers usually hang low to the ground.
What Does the Paper Flower Look Like?
The paper flower is a small bush. It usually grows between 0.25 and 1.2 meters tall. That's about the height of a small child to a tall adult. You can find it in sandy areas near the coast or in drier places in southern Australia.
Its leaves are shaped like an oval or a spear. They are about 10 to 40 millimeters long. That's roughly the length of your thumbnail to a car key. The leaves are also 4 to 11 millimeters wide. The plant also has small, leaf-like parts called stipules. These are about 8 to 12 millimeters long.
The flowers of the paper flower are very unique. They have five main parts that look like petals. These parts are 7 to 8 millimeters long. They feel like thin paper, which is why the plant is called the "paper flower." Inside, there are tiny red petals, less than 1 millimeter long. The plant also has reddish-brown parts called anthers. These are about 2 millimeters long. The paper flower blooms from September to March.
Where Does the Paper Flower Live?
You can find the paper flower in many places across southern Australia. It likes coastal areas and dry, heathland habitats. Its home stretches from Albany in Western Australia all the way to Port Phillip Bay in Victoria. There is even a small group of these plants in Wilson Promontory.
How the Paper Flower Got Its Name
The Thomasia petalocalyx was first officially described in 1855. A scientist named Ferdinand von Mueller gave it its formal name. He wrote about it in a book called Definitions of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian plants.
