Santa Rosa Island manzanita facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa Rosa Island manzanita |
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A. confertiflora
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| Arctostaphylos confertiflora |
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The Santa Rosa Island manzanita (Arctostaphylos confertiflora) is a very rare type of plant. It is a shrub that belongs to the manzanita family. This special plant grows only in California. You can find it on the sandy cliffs of Santa Rosa Island. This island is part of the Channel Islands.
The United States government lists this manzanita as an endangered species. This means it is in danger of disappearing forever. There are only a few of these plants left in two spots on the island. Animals like cattle, elk, and deer sometimes eat them. This makes it harder for the plants to survive.
What Does It Look Like?
This manzanita is a small, twisty shrub. Its bark can be a deep red color or a grayish color. Its branches have tiny, sticky hairs called glandular bristles.
The leaves of the Santa Rosa Island manzanita are a light, dull green. They also have sticky hairs or bristles. The flowers are small and round. They are usually milky white, but sometimes they can be a light pink. These flowers grow in tight bunches.
After the flowers, the plant grows fuzzy fruits. These fruits are called drupes. They are about one centimeter (less than half an inch) wide.
Where Does It Live?
The Santa Rosa Island manzanita is an endemic plant. This means it naturally grows only in one specific place. For this manzanita, that place is Santa Rosa Island in California.
It prefers to grow on the sandstone bluffs of the island. These bluffs are steep cliffs made of sandstone rock. The unique environment of the Channel Islands helps this plant survive.
Why Is It Endangered?
This manzanita is considered an endangered species. This is because there are very few of them left. They only grow in two small areas on Santa Rosa Island.
One of the main threats to these plants is animals. Large animals like cattle, elk, and deer live on the island. They sometimes eat the manzanita plants. This makes it difficult for the plants to grow and reproduce. Protecting these plants is important to keep them from disappearing.
See also
In Spanish: Arctostaphylos confertiflora para niños
