Verticordia helmsii facts for kids

Verticordia helmsii 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's a type of bush, or shrub, with many leaves grouped together on its short branches. Its flowers are a lovely creamish-white color, smell sweet, and grow in small clusters along the branches.

What Does Verticordia Helmsii Look Like?

Verticordia helmsii is a shrub that usually grows between 0.45 and 1.5 meters (about 1.5 to 5 feet) tall. It can spread out from 0.3 to 2.5 meters (about 1 to 8 feet) wide. Most of its leaves grow in bunches on its many short side branches.

The leaves are thin and long, or shaped like a club. They are almost round when you look at them from the end. Each leaf is about 2 to 5 millimeters (0.08 to 0.2 inches) long. They have a rounded tip and many small, noticeable glands.

The Flowers of Verticordia Helmsii

The flowers of Verticordia helmsii have a sweet honey scent. They grow in small, round clusters along the plant's branches. Each flower sits on a stalk that is about 5 to 8 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 inches) long.

The bottom part of the flower, called the floral cup, looks like half a sphere. It is about 1.5 millimeters (0.06 inches) long and feels smooth, but has a few small bumps. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower, are usually creamish-white. Sometimes they can be a bit pink. They spread outwards and are about 3.5 to 5 millimeters (0.14 to 0.2 inches) long. Each sepal has 6 to 8 long, hairy parts.

The petals are the same color as the sepals. They stand upright and are about 2.5 to 3 millimeters (0.1 to 0.12 inches) long. Their ends are narrow and almost pointed. The style, which is part of the flower's reproductive system, is straight and quite thick. It is about 2 to 3 millimeters (0.08 to 0.12 inches) long. Near its tip, it has long, branched hairs. This plant usually blooms from October to January.

How Verticordia Helmsii Got Its Name

The plant Verticordia helmsii was first officially described in 1899. This description was made by a scientist named Spencer Le Marchant Moore. He published his findings in a science journal called Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany. The plants he studied were found near Gnarlbine, which is south of Coolgardie.

The second part of the plant's name, helmsii, was chosen to honor Richard Helms. He was a naturalist who had collected a sample of this plant earlier.

In 1991, another scientist named Alex George looked closely at all the plants in the Verticordia group. He placed Verticordia helmsii into a smaller group called subgenus Eperephes. It also belongs to a section called Integripetala. Other plants in this section include V. rennieana, V. interioris, V. mirabilis, and V. picta.

Where Verticordia Helmsii Lives

This type of verticordia plant usually grows in sandy soil. It is often found near granite rocks in areas with heath (low shrubs) and other small bushes. You can find it in the region between Peak Charles, Queen Victoria Spring, and Mount Gibson. These areas are part of several biogeographic regions in Western Australia. These regions include the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert, Mallee, Murchison, and Yalgoo.

Is Verticordia Helmsii Protected?

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

Growing Verticordia Helmsii in Gardens

Even though Verticordia helmsii is a very attractive plant, it has been hard to grow in gardens. It is difficult to start new plants from cuttings. It's also tricky to help them grow big and strong once they are planted.

One plant grown in Kings Park reached about 75 centimeters (30 inches) tall. However, it only lived for four years. Some plants have been grown from seeds, but most of these have only survived for a few months.