Verticordia brachypoda facts for kids

Verticordia brachypoda is a beautiful flowering plant that belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which is also known as the myrtle family. This special plant grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia, meaning it is endemic to that area. It's a shrub that grows in an interesting, irregular shape. It has narrow leaves that are packed closely together on its side branches. Its flowers are usually cream-coloured or white, sometimes with pink centers.

What it Looks Like

Verticordia brachypoda is a shrub that grows with many branches. It usually has one main stem at its base. This plant can grow to be about 0.2 to 1.5 meters (0.7 to 4.9 feet) tall. It can also spread out to be about 15 centimeters to 1.2 meters (5.9 inches to 3.9 feet) wide.

Most of its leaves are found in groups on short side branches. These leaves are quite small, measuring about 2 to 8 millimeters (0.08 to 0.31 inches) long. They are shaped like lines or narrow spears and are almost round when you look at them from the side. The leaves near the flowers are a bit wider than the ones further down the branches.

The flowers of this plant have a lovely scent. They grow in round clusters near the ends of the branches. Each flower sits on a small stalk that is about 5 to 13 millimeters (0.2 to 0.5 inches) long. The base of the flower, called the floral cup, looks like half a sphere. It is about 2.8 to 3.5 millimeters (0.11 to 0.14 inches) long. This cup has 10 small ridges and is mostly smooth, but a little hairy near the top.

The outer parts of the flower, called sepals, are white, cream, or light pink. They are about 5.0 to 5.5 millimeters (0.20 to 0.22 inches) long. These sepals have 2 to 4 small sections with long, thin edges. The colorful parts of the flower, called petals, are broadly egg-shaped. They can be pink, cream, or white and are about 3.2 to 4 millimeters (0.13 to 0.16 inches) long. The petals have a border of long, thin hairs.

Inside the flower, there's a part called the style, which is like a stalk. It is about 4 to 7 millimeters (0.16 to 0.28 inches) long. This style is covered with hairs for most of its length. Verticordia brachypoda usually blooms from October to December.

Plant Name and History

The plant Verticordia brachypoda was first officially described in 1847. A scientist named Nikolai Turczaninow gave it its name. He published his description in a scientific paper called Bulletin de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou. The plants he studied were collected by another botanist named James Drummond.

Later, in 1904, another scientist named Ludwig Diels described a plant he called Verticordia stylotricha. However, scientists now know that this is actually the same plant as Verticordia brachypoda. So, Verticordia stylotricha is considered a synonym, meaning it's another name for the same plant.

The second part of the plant's scientific name, brachypoda, comes from ancient Greek words. "Brachys" (βραχύς) means "short," and "pous" (πούς) means "foot." This name refers to the short stalk that holds the flower cluster.

Where it Grows

This type of verticordia plant likes to grow in sandy soil. Sometimes, the soil also has clay or gravel mixed in. You can often find it growing alongside other verticordia plants. It grows in areas with heath (low-growing shrubs), shrubland (areas with many shrubs), or open woodland.

Verticordia brachypoda is found in many places across Western Australia. These areas include between the Arrowsmith River, Wialki, and Ravensthorpe. It grows in several different natural regions, such as the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, and Mallee.

Looking After the Plant

The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at Verticordia brachypoda. They have classified it as "not threatened." This means that the plant is not currently in danger of disappearing.

Growing it in Gardens

It can be a bit tricky to grow Verticordia brachypoda in gardens. However, when people are successful, it becomes a very attractive plant. Gardeners have tried to grow it from cuttings, which are small pieces of the plant. But it has been hard to get its seeds to sprout.

Because of its neat shape and flowers that last a long time, this plant has good potential for gardens. Scientists and gardeners are still learning more about what it needs to grow well.