Cutleaf anemone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cutleaf anemone |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Anemone
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| Species: |
multifida
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Anemone multifida is a pretty flowering plant. It belongs to the buttercup family. People often call it the cutleaf anemone, Pacific anemone, or globe anemone. You can find this plant growing in many places. It lives in northern North America, from Alaska all the way to New York. It also grows as far south as Arizona and New Mexico. This plant is also found in some parts of South America.
What Does it Look Like?
This plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It can look a bit different depending on where it grows. The plant grows from a special root system called a caudex. This root system has many branches.
The plant can grow from 10 to 70 centimeters tall. Its leaves have long stems called petioles. These leaves are covered in soft, silky, or rough white hairs. Each leaf is divided into many long, pointed parts. Sometimes, these parts are divided even more. A single leaf, including its stem, can be 5 to 20 centimeters long. The leaves at the bottom of the plant are divided two or three times into thin sections.
The plant has one or more flowers. These flowers do not have true petals. Instead, they have four to eight (usually five) petal-like parts called sepals. These sepals can be almost any color, but they are often white. They are a bit hairy, especially on the outside. In the middle of the flower, there can be up to 80 stamens. These are the parts that make pollen.
After the flower blooms, it makes a fruit. This fruit is called an achene. It is woolly with long hairs and has a small beak-like tip. Each achene is only a few millimeters long.
Different Types of Anemone multifida
There are a few different types, or varieties, of this plant. They are:
- A. m. var. multifida: This type is found almost everywhere the plant grows.
- A. m. var. saxicola (red windflower): This type is mostly found in the western parts of where the plant lives.
- A. m. var. stylosa: This type is only found in Utah and Arizona.
- A. m. var. tetonensis: This type is found in the mountains of the western United States.
Where Does it Grow?
Anemone multifida likes to grow in certain places. You can find it on rocky ledges that have a lot of calcium. It also grows in areas with rocky or gravelly soil. These spots are often near lakes and other waterways. Sometimes, it even grows on sand dunes. In Minnesota, it has been found growing in prairies.
This plant usually grows in cold, northern areas. These are called subarctic and boreal regions. They are mostly in western and central North America. However, some groups of these plants also live in mountains and warmer areas. These are in the southern parts of its North American range. You can also find it around the Great Lakes. It is rarely seen in the northeastern US states and eastern Canada.
It's important to know that Anemone multifida is poisonous. It contains a natural chemical that can be harmful if the plant is eaten.
See also
In Spanish: Anemone multifida para niños
