Arizona bugbane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arizona bugbane |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Actaea (plant)
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| Species: |
arazonica
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| Synonyms | |
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Cimicifuga arizonica |
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Actaea arizonica is a special kind of flowering plant. It is also known as the Arizona bugbane. This plant belongs to the buttercup family. You can only find it in Arizona in the United States. It grows in Coconino, Gila, and Yavapai Counties. This plant used to be in a different group called Cimicifuga.
Contents
About the Arizona Bugbane
What Does It Look Like?
This plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for many years. It grows from an underground stem called a rhizome. The plant can grow quite tall, up to 1.5 to 2 meters (about 5 to 6.5 feet). Its stems are smooth and do not have hairs.
The leaves are large. Each leaf has smaller leaflets that are shaped like three lobes. They also have jagged edges. These leaflets can be up to 17.5 centimeters (7 inches) long. They can also be 12.5 centimeters (5 inches) wide. The leaves grow on long stalks called petioles. These stalks can be up to 35 centimeters (14 inches) long.
Flowers and Pollination
The flowers grow in a tall cluster called an inflorescence. This cluster looks like a panicle, which means it has many branches. The flower cluster can stand straight up or lean over.
Each flower has five sepals. Sepals are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. Two of these sepals are greenish. The other three are a creamy color. Sometimes, the flowers also have white petals. However, these petals are often missing.
The Arizona bugbane flowers in July and August. Each flower has many stamens. Stamens are the parts of the flower that make pollen.
Bumblebees help pollinate these flowers. Three types of bumblebees visit the Arizona bugbane. They are the Bombus occidentalis, Bombus morrisoni, and Bombus huntii. If insects do not pollinate the flowers, or if something stops pollination (like heavy rain), the flowers might not develop.
After pollination, the plant produces a fruit called a follicle. This fruit looks like a "bottle-brush." The seeds inside the fruit look like "furry little bugs."
Where Does It Grow?
The Arizona bugbane only grows in central Arizona. This makes it an endemic plant. It likes to grow where two types of habitats meet. This area is called an ecotone. It grows between coniferous forests (forests with cone-bearing trees) and riparian zones. Riparian zones are areas along rivers or streams.
This plant grows at high places. It is found at elevations from about 5300 to 7000 feet (1600 to 2100 meters). Some plants live in canyons. Others grow in very wet places. These wet spots can be seeps or springs on mountain slopes.
The soil where it grows is rich in humus. Humus is dark, rich material from decayed plants. The soil is also well-shaded. The first place this plant was officially found was Bill Williams Mountain. This mountain is in Coconino County, Arizona. The Arizona bugbane shares its home with the Mexican spotted owl.
