Agnorhiza elata facts for kids

Agnorhiza elata, also known as Hall's mule's ears, is a type of flowering plant. It is found only in California, mainly in the central Sierra Nevada foothills. This plant grows mostly in areas from Tuolumne County to Fresno County. A few small groups have also been found in Tulare County.

About Hall's Mule's Ears

Hall's mule's ears plants grow in woodlands and pine forests. This plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for many years and does not have a woody stem like a tree. It grows from a thick main root, called a taproot, and a woody base called a caudex.

What the Plant Looks Like

The stem of Agnorhiza elata is hairy and grows straight up. It can reach a height of about one meter (about 3 feet). The leaves are shaped like triangles and can be up to 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) long. They feel woolly and have sticky parts called resin glands. The edges of the leaves are either smooth or slightly bumpy.

The Flowers and Seeds

The plant produces one or more flower heads. A flower head is a group of many small flowers that look like one large flower, similar to a sunflower. Each head has pointed, leaf-like parts called phyllaries. There can be up to 20 yellow "ray florets." These are the petal-like parts on the outside of the flower head. They can grow up to 6 centimeters (about 2.4 inches) long. After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a fruit called an achene. This achene is over a centimeter long and has a fluffy top called a pappus.