Illawarra zieria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Illawarra zieria |
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| Zieria granulata leaves and flowers | |
| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Zieria
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| Species: |
granulata
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The Illawarra zieria (scientific name: Zieria granulata) is a special plant. It's also called the hill zieria or hilly zieria. This plant belongs to the citrus family, called Rutaceae. You can only find it in the Illawarra area of New South Wales, Australia.
This plant is a tall, bushy shrub. It's easy to spot because it has small, wart-like bumps all over it. Its leaves are long and narrow, and its flowers are small and white with four petals.
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About the Illawarra Zieria Plant
The Illawarra zieria is a bushy plant that smells nice. It usually grows up to 3 meters (about 10 feet) tall. In perfect conditions, it can even reach 6 meters (about 20 feet) high! Its branches have bumpy, wart-like spots. The newest branches are covered with short, soft hairs.
Leaves of the Illawarra Zieria
The leaves of this plant are made of three smaller parts called leaflets. The middle leaflet is about 1.5 to 4 centimeters (0.6 to 1.6 inches) long. It's very narrow, only about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches) wide. The other two leaflets are a bit smaller. The edges of the leaflets have tiny teeth and curve downwards. The top of the leaves is a dull green and feels hairy when new. The bottom is whitish and covered with soft hairs. Both sides of the leaves have those bumpy spots. The stalk that holds the leaf is about 3 to 10 millimeters (0.1 to 0.4 inches) long.
Flowers and Fruit of the Illawarra Zieria
The flowers are white and grow in groups. Each group can have up to 180 flowers! They grow where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower is about 3.5 to 7 millimeters (0.14 to 0.28 inches) across. The groups of flowers are shorter than the leaves. The flowers have four small, smooth parts called sepals, which are less than 1 millimeter long. There are also four petals, each about 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters (0.06 to 0.1 inches) long. Like other zieria plants, it only has four stamens, which are the parts that make pollen.
The Illawarra zieria blooms during spring and summer. After flowering, it produces a dry, light brown fruit called a capsule. Inside the capsule are dark, reddish seeds, about 2 millimeters (0.08 inches) long. These seeds have a special part called an elaiosome, which attracts ants to help spread them.
Naming the Illawarra Zieria
The scientific name Zieria granulata was first officially written down in 1863. This was done by a botanist named George Bentham. He used an earlier description by Charles Moore. The second part of the name, granulata, comes from a Latin word, granum. This word means "grain," which refers to the small, bumpy grains or warts on the plant.
Where the Illawarra Zieria Lives
This special zieria plant usually grows on rocky areas. It prefers shallow soil that comes from volcanoes. You can only find it in two specific areas in New South Wales, Australia. These are the Shoalhaven and Kiama districts on the south coast.
Protecting the Illawarra Zieria
The Illawarra zieria is an "Endangered" plant. This means it's at high risk of disappearing forever. It's protected under an important Australian law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The biggest dangers to this plant are:
- Losing its home: People clearing land for farms or buildings.
- Quarrying: Digging up rocks and soil.
- New homes: Building houses and towns.
- Roads: Building new roads.
These activities destroy the places where the Illawarra zieria lives.
Growing the Illawarra Zieria
The Illawarra zieria is a popular plant to grow in gardens. It's quite tough and grows well in soil that drains water easily. It likes places that are partly shady, but it can also grow in full sun. This plant can handle dry periods and is fairly resistant to frost. If you want to keep it bushy, it's a good idea to trim it lightly.
Images for kids
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Z. granulata in the Australian National Botanic Gardens
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Zieria granulata in the Mount Annan Botanic Garden
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