Laxflower facts for kids

Baileya pauciradiata is a type of flowering plant found in North America. It is part of the daisy family. This plant is also known by its common names, laxflower and Colorado desert marigold. You can find it growing in the deserts of northwestern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. It lives in places like California, Arizona, Nevada, Baja California, and Sonora.

Description

Baileya pauciradiata is a small plant. It can live for just one year (annual) or for many years (perennial). Its stem is gray-green and feels soft, like it has fine hairs. The stem can grow between 10 and 50 centimeters tall.

The leaves of this plant are long and narrow. They can be shaped like a line or a spear. These leaves are usually 4 to 14 centimeters long. The leaves at the bottom of the plant might dry up. But the leaves along the stem usually stay on the plant when it blooms.

Flowers and Fruit

The plant has groups of flowers called an inflorescence. These groups are made of 2 or 3 flower heads. Each flower head has a few yellow petals around the edge. These are called ray florets. In the middle, there are many small yellow flowers called disc florets.

After the flowers bloom, the plant makes a fruit. This fruit is a type of seed called an achene. It is shaped like a club and is about half a centimeter long.

Food Source

This plant is very important for a special kind of moth. The moth is called Schinia pallicincta. This moth lives in sand dunes. The Baileya pauciradiata plant is the main food source for these moths.