Zieria involucrata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zieria involucrata |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Zieria involucrata in Yengo National Park | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Zieria
|
| Species: |
involucrata
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Zieria cytisoides var. involucrata (R.Br. ex Benth.) C.Moore & Betche |
|
Zieria involucrata is a special plant that belongs to the citrus family, called Rutaceae. It is a type of plant that grows only in New South Wales, Australia. This means it is endemic to that area.
This plant is a tall, thin shrub. It has leaves usually made of three parts. It also grows small white flowers in groups. These flower groups are shorter than the leaves. You can mostly find Zieria involucrata in the lower Blue Mountains. It also grows in other places around Sydney.
Contents
What Zieria involucrata Looks Like
Zieria involucrata is a shrub that stands upright. It can grow to be about 1 to 2 meters (3 to 7 feet) tall. Its branches and leaves feel soft and velvety.
The leaves have a small stalk called a petiole. This stalk is about 3 to 10 millimeters long. Most leaves have three small parts, called leaflets. These leaflets are shaped like an oval or a spear. They are about 30 to 55 millimeters long and 6 to 15 millimeters wide. Sometimes, a leaf might have only one leaflet. The top of the leaflets is dark green. The bottom is a lighter grey-green color.
The flowers are white, and sometimes they have a hint of pink. They grow in groups of 3 to 21 flowers. These groups are usually shorter than the leaves. The flowers are surrounded by hairy, leaf-like parts called bracts. These bracts stay on the plant while it is flowering. They are about 7 to 12 millimeters long.
The plant has small, triangular sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. They are about 3 to 4.5 millimeters long. The four petals of the flower are about 3 to 5 millimeters long and are a bit hairy. Each flower has four stamens, which are the parts that make pollen.
When Zieria involucrata Flowers and Grows Fruit
This plant usually flowers from August to October. After the flowers bloom, they turn into fruits. These fruits are hairy and are called follicles.
Plant Name and History
The plant Zieria involucrata was first officially described in 1863. A botanist named George Bentham wrote about it. He used notes from an earlier description by Robert Brown. Bentham's description was published in a book called Flora Australiensis.
The second part of the plant's name, involucrata, comes from a Latin word. Involucrum means "wrapper" or "envelope." This name refers to the bracts that stay on the plant around the flowers.
Where Zieria involucrata Lives
This type of zieria plant grows in wet forests. It is mainly found in the lower Blue Mountains. However, it has also been seen north and west of Sydney.
Protecting Zieria involucrata
Zieria involucrata is considered a "vulnerable" plant. This means it is at risk of disappearing. The Australian Government lists it as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The New South Wales Government also lists it as "endangered."
The biggest danger to this plant is how often fires happen. If fires happen too often, it can harm the plants and stop them from growing back properly.
