Pixie ears facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pixie ears |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Verticordia
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| Species: |
amphigia
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Verticordia amphigia, also known as pixie ears, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This plant only grows naturally in the south-west part of Western Australia.
Pixie ears usually grows as an open, bushy shrub with many branches. It has thin leaves and bright yellow flowers. Sometimes, when many of these plants bloom together, they create a stunning "sea" of yellow color in the wild. The flowers are surrounded by special leaf-like parts called bracteoles. These bracteoles are shaped like tiny boats, and they are why the plant is called "pixie ears" and also why it has its scientific name.
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About the Pixie Ears Plant
Verticordia amphigia is a shrub that can grow up to about 1.3 meters (4.3 feet) tall and 1 meter (3.3 feet) wide. It often has one or more main stems with many smaller branches.
The leaves of the pixie ears plant are long and thin, sometimes shaped like a narrow spear. They are about 5 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and have a pointed tip. The leaves can be curved inward or almost round when you look at them from the side.
The flowers have a lovely scent and grow in round clusters on straight stems. These stems are about 7 to 15 millimeters (0.3 to 0.6 inches) long. Each flower is surrounded by boat-shaped bracteoles that stay on the plant. These bracteoles have tiny hairs along their edges.
The sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud, are yellow and about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long. They spread out wide and have 5 to 7 fuzzy sections. The petals are also yellow, but they turn red as they get older. They are about 2.5 millimeters (0.1 inches) long and have spreading, finger-like parts. The style, which is part of the flower's reproductive system, is about 3.5 millimeters (0.14 inches) long, straight, and smooth. Pixie ears usually blooms from October to November.
How Pixie Ears Got Its Name
The scientific name for this plant, Verticordia amphigia, was first officially described by a scientist named Alex George in 1991. He wrote about it in a scientific journal called Nuytsia. He studied plants that were found south of Cockleshell Gully, near Jurien Bay.
The second part of the plant's scientific name, amphigia, comes from an Ancient Greek word, amphigyos. This word means "pointed at both ends." This refers to the special boat-shaped bracteoles that surround the flowers, which are pointed at both ends.
Alex George placed this species in a group called subgenus Chrysoma, and then in a smaller group called section Jugata. Other plants in this group include V. chrysanthella, V. chrysantha, V. galeata, V. brevifolia, V. coronata, and V. laciniata.
Where Pixie Ears Lives
This type of verticordia plant grows in sandy soil. You can often find it growing near other plants like Melaleuca rhaphiophylla and Banksia prionotes. It lives in the area between Cockleshell Gully and Eneabba. These areas are part of the Geraldton Sandplains and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions, which are special areas defined by their unique plants and animals.
Protecting Pixie Ears
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has given Verticordia amphigia a special status called "Priority Three." This means that we don't know a lot about how many of these plants exist, and they are only found in a few places. However, they are not currently in immediate danger of disappearing. This status helps scientists keep an eye on them and make sure they stay safe.
Growing Pixie Ears in Gardens
When you see large groups of pixie ears plants in the wild, their yellow flowers on red stems create a beautiful sight. This shows that the plant could be great for growing in gardens or for commercial use. The dried flowers keep their bright color, which means they might be grown in the future to be sold as cut flowers.
It has been very hard to grow new plants from cuttings taken directly from wild pixie ears plants. However, cuttings taken from plants that are already being grown in gardens have a much better chance of growing roots. Other ways of growing these plants have not been tried yet.
