Arizona rabbitbrush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arizona rabbitbrush |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chrysothamnus
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| Species: |
molestus
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| Synonyms | |
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Chrysothamnus molestus is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the aster family, which includes sunflowers and daisies. This plant is known by a few cool names like Arizona rabbitbrush and Tusayan rabbitbrush.
This plant is found only in the state of Arizona in the southwestern United States. You can find it in specific areas like Coconino, Apache, and Navajo Counties. When a plant or animal is found only in one place, it is called endemic.
Contents
What Does Arizona Rabbitbrush Look Like?
This plant is a small shrub. It usually grows to be about 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) tall. It grows from a strong, woody base.
Stems and Leaves
The lower part of the plant has dark gray, tough bark. Its stems are green and feel a bit sticky because they are glandular. The leaves are small, usually less than 2 centimeters long and very narrow. They can also feel a bit hairy and sticky.
Flowers and Fruit
The Arizona rabbitbrush produces many small, yellow flower heads. Each head has five tiny yellow flowers inside. These are called disc florets. Unlike some other flowers in the aster family, it does not have ray florets, which are the petal-like parts you see on a daisy.
This plant often blooms a lot after tough times, like dry spells. You can usually see its yellow flowers from August through October. After the flowers, it produces a fruit that is about a centimeter long. It has a fluffy top called a pappus, which helps the seeds fly away in the wind.
Where Does Arizona Rabbitbrush Grow?
This plant is the only Chrysothamnus species that grows only in Arizona. One group of these plants lives between the edge of the Grand Canyon and the city of Flagstaff. Other groups are found within the Navajo Nation.
Its Favorite Home
Arizona rabbitbrush loves to grow in pinyon-juniper grasslands. These are areas with small pine trees (pinyon) and juniper trees. It almost always grows in places where the soil is made of limestone.
Plant Neighbors
Many other plants grow near Arizona rabbitbrush. Some of its neighbors include:
- Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush)
- Atriplex canescens (four-wing saltbush)
- Berberis fremontii (barberry)
- Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama grass)
- Krascheninnikovia lanata (winterfat)
- Juniperus sp. (juniper trees)
- Pinus sp. (pine trees)
- Quercus gambelii (Gambel oak)
Challenges for Arizona Rabbitbrush
Even though it's a tough plant, Arizona rabbitbrush faces some challenges.
Grazing Animals
One big challenge is grazing animals. Animals like cattle and elk like to eat this plant. When too many plants are eaten, it can be hard for them to grow and spread.
Low Reproduction
Another problem is something called low recruitment. This means that not enough new plants are growing from seeds or other ways. Scientists are still trying to figure out why this happens. Understanding this could help protect this unique Arizona plant.
