Verticordia chrysostachys facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Verticordia chrysostachys |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Verticordia
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chrysostachys
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The Verticordia chrysostachys is a beautiful flowering plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This plant is special because it is found only in the south-west part of Western Australia. It's a shrub with branches that spread out, and it has leaves shaped like eggs or almost perfect circles. Its flowers grow in spike-like groups and can be cream-coloured or a bright deep yellow.
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Discovering the Golden Spike Featherflower
This plant is an open, bushy shrub that usually has one main stem at its base. It can grow to be about 0.7 to 2.0 meters (2 to 7 feet) tall and spread out 0.3 to 1.5 meters (1 to 5 feet) wide.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of the Verticordia chrysostachys are shaped like eggs or are almost round. They are small, about 2.5 to 5.0 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long, and have a slightly dull, bluish-green color.
The flowers have a lovely scent and grow in groups that look like spikes. These groups appear near the ends of the branches. The flowers can be deep yellow or cream-colored. Each flower sits on a small stalk that is about 2 to 4 millimeters (0.08 to 0.16 inches) long.
The bottom part of the flower, called the floral cup, is shaped like a top and is about 3.0 millimeters (0.12 inches) long. It has 5 ribs and is smooth. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are deep yellow or cream. They are 4.0 to 6.5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.26 inches) long and have 7 to 12 very feathery edges.
The petals are similar in color to the sepals, but sometimes they have small red spots. They are egg-shaped, 5.0 to 7.0 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long, and have a fringe (like a decorative edge) and ear-like parts. The style, which is part of the flower's reproductive system, is 5 to 7 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long and is bent, with hairs mostly on one side. This plant usually blooms from November to January.
Plant Names and History
The scientific name Verticordia chrysostachys was first officially described by a scientist named Carl Meissner in 1857. He published his description in a scientific journal called Journal of the Proceedings of the Linnean Society, Botany. The plants he studied were collected by another botanist, James Drummond.
The second part of the plant's name, chrysostachys, comes from two Ancient Greek words:
- khrusos means "gold"
- stachys means "a spike"
This name describes the plant's golden, spike-like flowers.
Different Types of Verticordia chrysostachys
In 1991, another expert, Alex George, studied the Verticordia group of plants. He identified two different types, or varieties, of V. chrysostachys:
- Verticordia chrysostachys var. chrysostachys: This type has deep yellow flowers on stalks that are 2.5 to 4.0 millimeters (0.10 to 0.16 inches) long.
- Verticordia chrysostachys var. pallida: This type has cream-coloured flowers on slightly shorter stalks, about 2.0 to 2.5 millimeters (0.08 to 0.10 inches) long.
Where This Plant Grows
This verticordia plant likes to grow in sandy soils that also contain clay, loam, or gravel. You can often find it growing with other verticordia plants in areas with shrubs and woodlands.
Specific Locations
The chrysostachys variety is found near the Murchison River and in the region between it and towns like Northampton, Yuna, Mullewa, and Geraldton. This area is part of the Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic region.
The pallida variety grows in a similar area, but its range also extends into the Avon Wheatbelt region. In some places, these plants have naturally mixed with other verticordia species, creating hybrid plants. In certain areas, you can even find large groups of these mixed plants.
Protecting the Verticordia chrysostachys
The Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife says that Verticordia chrysostachys is "not threatened," which means it's not in danger of disappearing.
However, the pallida variety is classified as "Priority Three." This means that we don't know much about it, and it's only found in a few places. Even though it's rare, it's not currently in immediate danger.
Growing Verticordia chrysostachys
People have successfully grown several forms of both varieties of V. chrysostachys in Western Australia. They usually grow best in soil that drains well and in a sunny spot.
How to Grow Them
Gardeners have found success in growing these plants in different ways:
- From seed.
- From cuttings (taking a piece of the plant and growing it).
- By grafting them onto another plant called Chamelaucium uncinatum.
The Western Australian Government Department of Agriculture has even created special guides for growing this and other verticordia species. This is because these plants have the potential to be used in the cut flower trade, meaning they could be grown to be sold as beautiful cut flowers.
