Verticordia huegelii var. tridens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Verticordia huegelii var. tridens |
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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. h. var. tridens
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| Trinomial name | |
| Verticordia huegelii var. tridens A.S.George
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Variegated featherflower (scientific name: Verticordia huegelii var. tridens) is a beautiful flowering plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia, which means it's endemic there.
This plant is a thin, open, and sometimes a bit messy shrub. It has bright yellow flowers that change color as they get older. First, they turn red, and then they become brown. Its flowers also have special parts called staminodes that look different from other types of this plant.
What it Looks Like
The variegated featherflower is a shrub that usually grows to be about 20 to 60 centimeters (8 to 24 inches) tall. It can spread out to about 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 inches) wide. Its leaves are long and thin, almost like a club shape. They are rounded on one side and flat on the other, measuring about 3 to 6 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long and very thin.
The flowers have a faint smell and grow in round groups near the ends of the branches. Each flower sits on a small stem that is about 4 to 11 millimeters (0.16 to 0.43 inches) long. The floral cup (the base of the flower) is shaped like a top, about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long. It is smooth and a little bit hairy.
The sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud, are a bright yellow when they first open. They change to red as they get older, and then finally turn brown. They are about 7 to 8 millimeters (0.28 to 0.31 inches) long and have many spreading hairs. The petals, which are the colorful parts of the flower, are a similar color to the sepals. They are mostly round and spread out, about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long and wide. They have a fringe of hairs around their edges.
The staminodes are thin and pointy, with one or two small teeth on each side. The style (a part of the flower that helps with reproduction) is straight and about 5 to 5.5 millimeters (0.20 to 0.22 inches) long. It has a few yellow, reddish, or purple hairs near its top and a cap-like stigma (the part that receives pollen). This plant usually flowers from September to November.
How it Got its Name
The main type of plant, Verticordia huegelii, was first officially described by a scientist named Stephan Endlicher in 1837. This description was published in a book about plants from Western Australia.
Later, in 1991, another scientist named Alex George studied the Verticordia group of plants very closely. He identified four different types, or varieties, of Verticordia huegelii, including this one. The special part of its name, tridens, comes from a Latin word. It means "having three teeth," which likely refers to a feature of the plant.
Where it Grows
This type of variegated featherflower grows in sandy or loamy soil that contains laterite or granite. These areas are often wet during the winter months. You can often find it growing with other types of verticordia plants in heathlands (open shrubby areas), shrublands, or woodlands.
It is found in small groups scattered across different areas of Western Australia. These areas include places near Wongan Hills and the Porongurup National Park. It grows in several biogeographic regions, which are areas with similar plant and animal life.
Keeping it Safe
The Western Australian Government's Department of Parks and Wildlife has classified Verticordia huegelii var. stylosa as "Priority Three". This means that we don't know a lot about this plant, and it's only found in a few places. However, it is not currently in immediate danger of disappearing.
Growing it at Home
This specific type of variegated featherflower has not been grown much by people. Because of this, we don't fully understand what it needs to grow well in gardens. It is easy to start new plants from cuttings (small pieces of the plant). However, these cuttings have been hard to get established and grow successfully in a garden setting.
