Amsinckia menziesii facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Amsinckia menziesii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Boraginales
Family:	Boraginaceae
Genus:	Amsinckia
Species:	A. menziesii
Binomial name
Amsinckia menziesii (Lehm.) A. Nelson & J.F. Macbr.
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Synonyms
Amsinckia micrantha (Suksd.) Druce

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Amsinckia menziesii is a type of plant that belongs to the Boraginaceae family. This family is also known as the borage or forget-me-not family. It's a common plant found in many places.

What are the Types of Fiddleneck?

Plants often have different types, called varieties, that look a bit different or grow in different places. Amsinckia menziesii has two main varieties:

• Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia - This one is often called common fiddleneck or intermediate fiddleneck.
• Amsinckia menziesii var. menziesii - This is known as Menzies' fiddleneck.

Common Fiddleneck: Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia

A. menziesii var. intermedia, showing the "fiddleneck" shape of its flowers.

Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia is a very common type of fiddleneck plant. You can find it across western North America, from Alaska and Canada all the way through the Western United States to Mexico.

Like other plants in its group, this fiddleneck has a special shape to its flowers. The way the flowers grow together looks a bit like the head of a violin or fiddle. This is how it got its interesting name, "fiddleneck." The flowers are usually yellow-orange, bright orange, or a deep yellow color.

This plant has also spread to other parts of the world. In Australia, it has become a common plant in farm areas in New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. It also grows in the British Isles, especially in the eastern parts, and has been seen there since 1910.

The seeds of this plant are not safe for humans to eat. However, they are a favorite food for a bird called Lawrence's Goldfinch. This bird especially loves to eat these seeds during its nesting season in spring and early summer in California.