Obcordate-leafed zieria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Obcordate-leafed zieria |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Zieria
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| Species: |
obcordata
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The Zieria obcordata, often called the obcordate-leafed zieria, is a special plant. It belongs to the citrus family called Rutaceae. This plant is endemic to New South Wales, Australia, which means it grows naturally only there.
It's a bushy, rounded shrub that smells nice. Its branches are covered in tiny hairs when they are young. The plant has small leaves made of three parts. Its flowers are white or light pink and usually have four petals and four stamens. These flowers grow near where the leaves join the stem. You can find this plant in two separate areas in the central-west of New South Wales.
What it Looks Like
The Obcordate-leafed Zieria is a rounded, bushy shrub that can grow up to about 0.5 meters (1.6 feet) tall. Its young branches are covered in hairs.
Its leaves are made of three small parts, called leaflets. Each leaflet is shaped like a wedge or a heart, with the narrower end at the bottom. The whole leaf, including its stalk (called a petiole), is about 1 to 3 millimeters long. The middle leaflet is usually 3 to 9 millimeters long and 1 to 4 millimeters wide. The top surface of the leaflets feels a bit bumpy, and both sides are covered with simple hairs.
The flowers are white or light pink. They grow either alone or in small groups of up to three, right where the leaves meet the stem (this spot is called the axil). These flower groups are shorter than the leaves. The small leaf-like parts under the flower, called sepals, are triangular and about 2 millimeters long and wide. They are also hairy. The four petals of the flower are about 2 millimeters long and sometimes have hairs on them.
This plant usually flowers in September and October. After the flowers, it produces fruits in summer. These fruits are bumpy, hairy capsules.
How it was Named
The Zieria obcordata was first officially described in 1825 by a botanist named Allan Cunningham. He published his description in a book called Geographical Memoirs on New South Wales.
The second part of its scientific name, obcordata, comes from Latin words. The word cordata means "heart-shaped." The prefix ob- means "towards." So, obcordata describes the heart-like shape of its leaves.
Where it Lives
This type of zieria grows in open woodlands with shrubs and on rocky hillsides. It is found in two separate areas in New South Wales: one near Wellington and another near Bathurst.
It often grows alongside other native Australian plants. These include the rough-barked angophora (Angophora floribunda), hickory wattle (Acacia implexa), and weeping boree (Acacia vestita).
Conservation
The Obcordate-leafed Zieria is a very important plant, but it is also in danger. It is officially listed as "endangered" under laws in New South Wales and by the Australian government's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) Act. This means there's a high risk it could disappear forever if we don't protect it.
The main reasons this plant is endangered are:
- Weed invasion: Weeds can grow around the zieria and take away its water and nutrients.
- Inappropriate fire regimes: Fires that happen too often, not often enough, or at the wrong time can harm the plant.
- Grazing: Animals eating the plants can prevent them from growing and reproducing.
- Land clearing: When land is cleared for buildings or farms, the plant's habitat is destroyed.
