Veronica continua facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Veronica continua |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Veronica
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| Species: |
continua
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Veronica continua is a special plant that grows straight up. It's like a small, woody bush with pretty blue flowers that grow in tight groups at the ends of its branches. Its leaves grow in pairs, one across from the other. This plant is only found in Tasmania, which means it's endemic there.
What Does Veronica Continua Look Like?
Veronica continua is a common woody plant that can grow up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) tall. It often has many stems, usually between one and eight per plant, with only a few branches.
Its leaves grow in opposite pairs, meaning two leaves grow directly across from each other on the stem. They are also decussate, which means each pair of leaves is at a right angle to the pair above and below it. The leaves are firm and shaped like a spear or a long oval. They are about 12 to 35 millimeters (about 0.5 to 1.4 inches) long and 3.5 to 11 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.4 inches) wide. The tips of the leaves are pointed and often curve backward. The edges of the leaves are smooth, except for tiny, stiff white hairs near the bottom.
The flowers grow in clusters called racemes (say: RAY-seems). These clusters are found where new leaves meet the stem. Each cluster can be 2 to 10 centimeters (about 0.8 to 4 inches) long and hold 15 to 30 flowers. Sometimes, smaller branches also have flowers.
The plant's blue flowers have a corolla (the petals) that is 8 to 9.5 millimeters (about 0.3 to 0.4 inches) long. The upper parts of the petals are broad and egg-shaped, while the lower parts are rounded and narrowly egg-shaped. After the flowers, the plant produces a smooth, shiny, and flat fruit. This fruit is shaped like a wide egg, about 5 to 7.5 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and 6 to 9 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. It has a flat or slightly notched top.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The plant Veronica continua was officially named in 2006. It was described by a scientist named Barbara G. Briggs. Her description was published in a science journal called Telopea.
The second part of its scientific name, continua, means "continuous" or "unbroken." This name was chosen because the stems of the plant keep growing even after the flowers have bloomed.
Where Does It Grow?
This plant grows in the northeastern part of Tasmania. You can find it in places like rocky hillsides, damp woodlands, and sometimes in wet sclerophyll forests (forests with tough-leaved trees) and on the edges of cliffs. It is most commonly found in and around Douglas Apsley National Park.
