Zieria bifida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zieria bifida |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Zieria
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| Species: |
bifida
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Zieria bifida is a special plant that belongs to the citrus family, which scientists call Rutaceae. You can only find this plant in two small areas near Nambour in Queensland, Australia.
This plant grows as an open, bushy shrub with branches that spread out. Its branches are covered in tiny hairs. It has leaves made of three parts, a bit like a clover leaf. The small flowers are white and grow in small groups. Each flower has four petals and four stamens.
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What Does Zieria bifida Look Like?
Zieria bifida is a shrub that can grow up to 2 m (7 ft) tall. Its branches are thin and covered with tiny hairs that look like they are split into two.
Leaves of the Zieria bifida
The leaves of this plant have three parts, much like a clover. Each small leaf part is shaped like an oval or an egg. They are about 7–20 mm (0.3–0.8 in) long and 3.5–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) wide. The stalk that holds the leaf is about 3–7 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long.
You can find a few forked hairs along the edges of the leaf parts. There are also hairs on the main vein on the underside of the leaves. The edges of the leaves are thicker and flat, which helps tell this plant apart from other similar zierias.
Flowers and Fruit of Zieria bifida
The flowers of Zieria bifida are white or a creamy pink color. They grow in small groups of about seven flowers where the leaves meet the stem. Each group grows on a stalk that is 4–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long.
Usually, only one to three flowers in a group are open at the same time. The four petals of each flower are oval-shaped. They are about 2.5 mm (0.1 in) long and 1.5 mm (0.06 in) wide. The four stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen, are about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long.
This plant mainly flowers from December to April. After flowering, it produces a fruit called a capsule. This capsule is smooth and about 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long and 1 mm (0.04 in) wide.
Naming Zieria bifida
The plant Zieria bifida was officially named in 2007. It was described by two scientists, Marco Duretto and Paul Forster. They studied a plant sample found in the Triunia National Park. Their description was published in a science journal called Austrobaileya.
Before it got its official name, this plant was known as Zieria sp. "Brolga Park." The second part of its scientific name, bifida, comes from a Latin word. It means "split into two parts." This name refers to the special forked hairs found on the plant's branches and leaves.
Where Zieria bifida Lives
This type of zieria plant grows in areas where two different types of forests meet. These are rainforests and more open forests. It has only been found in two places. One is the Triunia National Park, which used to be called "Brolga Park." The other place is a nearby area on private land.
Protecting Zieria bifida
Zieria bifida is a very rare plant. It is listed as "Endangered" by the Queensland government under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. It is also listed as "Endangered" by the Australian government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. This means it is at a high risk of disappearing forever if we don't protect it.
The biggest dangers to this plant are:
- Invasive plants: A plant called Lantana camara is taking over the areas where Zieria bifida grows. This makes it hard for Zieria bifida to get enough sunlight and nutrients.
- Wrong fire management: Fires that happen too often or at the wrong time can also harm this plant.
