Alkali goldenbush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alkali goldenbush |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Isocoma
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| Species: |
acradenia
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| Synonyms | |
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Synonymy
Bigelowia acradenia Greene 1883
Bigelovia acradenia Greene 1883 Haplopappus acradenia (Greene) S.F.Blake Isocoma veneta var. acradenia (Greene) H.M. Hall Aster acradenius (Greene) Kuntze Haplopappus acradenius (Greene) S.F.Blake Isocoma limitanea Rose & Standl. Isocoma veneta var. acradenia (Greene) H.M.Hall Isocoma eremophila Greene Isocoma bracteosa Greene |
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Isocoma acradenia is a flowering plant found in North America. It belongs to the daisy family. People often call it the alkali goldenbush.
This plant grows naturally in the Southwestern United States. You can find it in California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. It also grows in northwestern Mexico, in Sonora and Baja California. It likes dry, sandy places. This includes areas rich in minerals, like alkali flats and gypsum soils.
Contents
What Does Alkali Goldenbush Look Like?
The alkali goldenbush is a subshrub. This means it's a small, bushy plant that is partly woody. It can grow a bit taller than one meter (about 40 inches).
It has stems that stand up straight and branch out. These stems are shiny and light yellowish-white when young. As they get older, they turn a yellow-gray color.
Leaves and Flowers
The stems have tough, hard leaves. They are long and narrow, or sometimes oval-shaped. These leaves are about 1 to 6 centimeters long. They might have small, blunt teeth along their edges. The leaves are gray-green at first. Later, they turn a pale gray or tan color.
The plant's inflorescences are groups of flowers. They grow in clusters at the top of the stem branches. Each cluster has about four or five flower heads.
Each flower head is like a small capsule. It is covered by bumpy, greenish phyllaries. These are like small leaves that protect the flower. Inside, you'll find many golden yellow disc florets. These are the tiny, tube-shaped flowers in the center of the head. Each disc floret sticks out a little.
Seeds and Fruit
After the flowers, the plant produces fruit. This fruit is called an achene. It's a small, dry fruit, only a few millimeters long. It has a yellowish, fluffy top part called a pappus. The pappus helps the seed float away in the wind.
Different Types of Alkali Goldenbush
There are a few different types, or varieties, of Isocoma acradenia:
- Isocoma acradenia var. acradenia: This type often grows in salty scrublands. You can find it with creosote bushes in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Sonora.
- Isocoma acradenia var. bracteosa: This variety prefers salt flats. It grows in the southern part of California's Central Valley.
- Isocoma acradenia var. eremophila: This type likes sandy soils and dunes. It is found in Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Baja California, and Sonora.
See also
In Spanish: Isocoma acradenia para niños
