Verticordia endlicheriana var. compacta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Verticordia endlicheriana var. compacta |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Verticordia |
| Species: | |
| Varietas: |
V. e. var. compacta
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| Trinomial name | |
| Verticordia endlicheriana var. compacta A.S.George
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Verticordia endlicheriana var. compacta is a beautiful flowering plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. You can only find this plant growing naturally in the south-west part of Western Australia. It is a small, bushy plant with lovely, sweet-smelling flowers that are golden-yellow. As the flowers get older, their color changes from reddish to almost black.
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What This Plant Looks Like
Verticordia endlicheriana var. compacta is a small, compact shrub. It usually grows to be about 15 to 60 centimeters (6 to 24 inches) tall. It can also spread out to be 10 to 60 centimeters (4 to 24 inches) wide. This plant often has one or more main stems coming from its base.
The leaves on the main stems are long and thin, about 4 to 8 millimeters (0.16 to 0.31 inches) in length. The leaves closer to the flowers are shaped like an egg or are almost round. These smaller leaves are about 2 to 4 millimeters (0.08 to 0.16 inches) long.
Its Sweet-Smelling Flowers
The flowers of this plant have a sweet smell. They grow in round or corymb-like groups on upright stalks. These stalks are about 5 to 12 millimeters (0.2 to 0.5 inches) long. The base of the flower, called the floral cup, is wide and shaped like a top. It is about 0.6 to 0.8 millimeters (0.02 to 0.03 inches) long and has ribs. It is also smooth, meaning it has no hairs.
The sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud, are golden-yellow. But as they age, they change color to orange, then red, then brown, and finally almost black. They are about 3 to 3.5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.14 inches) long and have 6 to 8 hairy parts. The petals are similar in color to the sepals. The main part of each petal is about 0.8 to 1.0 millimeter (0.03 to 0.04 inches) wide. They also have long, pointed, finger-like parts. The style, which is part of the flower's reproductive system, is about 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters (0.06 to 0.10 inches) long and is straight and smooth. This plant usually flowers from August to November.
How It Got Its Name
The plant Verticordia endlicheriana was first officially described in 1844 by a scientist named Johannes Conrad Schauer. His description was published in a book called Plantae Preissianae.
Later, in 1991, another scientist named Alex George studied the whole group of Verticordia plants. He described five different types, or varieties, of Verticordia endlicheriana, including this one. The special name "compacta" was chosen because this plant grows in a very compact, almost cauliflower-like shape.
Where This Plant Lives
This variety of Verticordia grows in sandy soil, sometimes with gravel underneath. You can often find it growing with other Verticordia plants in areas of heathland, shrubland, or woodland. It is found in different natural areas of Western Australia, including places like Latham, Mount Gibson, Moora, and Dowerin.
How to Grow This Plant
This plant has great potential for growing in gardens because it stays small and bushy. It also produces many bright, sweet-smelling flowers. However, it has been quite difficult to get it to grow well in home gardens. It is easy to start new plants from cuttings, but getting those young plants to grow into mature, strong plants has been a challenge. People have had more success growing it in gravelly or loamy soils rather than just sand.
