Verticordia endlicheriana var. major facts for kids

Verticordia endlicheriana var. major is a beautiful flowering plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This special plant grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia, which means it is endemic to that area. It's a small, bushy plant with lovely, light lemon-yellow flowers that smell a little bit. What's cool about these flowers is that their color stays bright and doesn't fade as they get older!

What Does This Plant Look Like?

Verticordia endlicheriana var. major is a small, strong shrub. It usually grows to be about 20 to 60 cm (8 to 24 in) tall and 10 to 40 cm (4 to 16 in) wide. It often has one or more main stems growing from its base.

Leaves and Stems

The leaves on the main stems are long and thin, about 4 to 8 mm (0.16 to 0.31 in) long. The leaves closer to the flowers are shaped like an egg or are almost round, and they are smaller, about 2 to 4 mm (0.08 to 0.16 in) long.

Flowers and Their Parts

The flowers have a light scent and grow in groups that look round or like a flat-topped cluster. These groups are on straight stalks that are about 5 to 12 mm (0.20 to 0.47 in) long.

The part of the flower that holds the other parts, called the floral cup, is wide and shaped like a top. It's about 0.6 to 0.8 mm (0.02 to 0.03 in) long and has ridges, but it's smooth and hairless.

The sepals are bright lemon-yellow and about 3.5 to 4.0 mm (0.14 to 0.16 in) long. They have 6 to 8 small, hairy parts called lobes. Just like the whole flower, these sepals keep their color and don't change as they age.

The petals are also lemon-yellow, just like the sepals. They are about 3.5 to 4 mm (0.14 to 0.16 in) long. The main part of each petal is about 1.3 to 1.5 mm (0.05 to 0.06 in) long, and they have long, pointed, finger-like parts sticking out.

The style, which is part of the flower's reproductive system, is about 1.5 to 2.5 mm (0.06 to 0.10 in) long. It's straight and smooth. This plant usually blooms from September to December.

How This Plant Got Its Name

The plant Verticordia endlicheriana was first officially described by a scientist named Johannes Conrad Schauer in 1844. This description was published in a book called Plantae Preissianae.

Later, in 1991, another scientist named Alex George looked closely at all the plants in the Verticordia genus. He found five different types, or varieties, of Verticordia endlicheriana, and this one was among them. The special name "major" for this variety means "larger." It was chosen because the flowers of this particular plant are bigger than the flowers of the other varieties in its species.

Where Does This Plant Grow?

This variety of Verticordia endlicheriana likes to grow in sandy soil and gravel, or in gravelly loam (a mix of sand, silt, and clay). You can often find it growing alongside another plant called Verticordia subulata in areas with heath (a type of low-growing shrubland).

It grows in a region of Western Australia between places like Pingrup, the Green Range, and the Hamersley River. These areas are part of what scientists call the Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions.

Is This Plant in Danger?

Good news! The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has looked at Verticordia endlicheriana var. major and decided it is "not threatened." This means there are enough of these plants in the wild, and they are not currently at risk of disappearing.

Can We Grow This Plant in Gardens?

This plant has a strong, compact shape and its flowers bloom late in the year and don't fade. These qualities make it seem like it would be a great plant for gardens! However, not many people have tried to grow it or make more of it for gardens yet.