Shasta County arnica facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shasta County arnica |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Arnica
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| Species: |
venosa
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Arnica venosa is a special and rare plant. It is a type of arnica that grows only in California. People often call it the Shasta County arnica. It belongs to the sunflower family, just like sunflowers! This plant is not the same as the Mt. Shasta arnica, which is called A. viscosa.
About Shasta County Arnica
Arnica venosa is an endemic plant. This means it grows naturally in only one specific place. For Arnica venosa, that place is the Klamath Mountains in northwestern California. You can find it only in Shasta and Trinity Counties.
What It Looks Like
The Shasta County arnica is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It usually grows one or more stems. These stems can be up to about 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) tall. They are often hairy and have tiny glands.
The plant has six to ten pairs of leaves along its stem. Each leaf is 3 to 7 centimeters long. They are shaped like a spear or an oval. You can see many veins on the leaves, and their edges are slightly toothed.
Its Flowers
The plant usually has a single flower head. This head is surrounded by hairy leaf-like parts called phyllaries. The flower head is round and contains only yellow disc florets. It does not have the longer, petal-like ray florets that you see on a daisy.
Its Seeds
After the flower blooms, it produces a fruit called an achene. This achene is like a small, dry seed. It is about 7 millimeters long. It also has a white, feathery top called a pappus. This pappus helps the seed float in the wind.
