Beaver Mountain groundsel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Beaver Mountain groundsel |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Senecio castoreus |
Packera castoreus is a very rare flowering plant often called Beaver Mountain groundsel or Beaver Mountain ragwort. It belongs to the aster family, which includes sunflowers and daisies. This special plant grows only in Utah, United States, specifically in the Tushar Mountains.
Contents
What Does This Plant Look Like?
This small plant is an alpine species. This means it grows in cold, high-up places. It is only a few centimeters tall. It has one or more stems that feel soft and woolly.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves near the bottom are about one or two centimeters long. Their undersides are also woolly. The plant's flower heads are purple-green. They are covered in soft, woolly parts. Unlike many flowers, this plant does not have the long, petal-like "ray florets" you might see on a daisy.
Where Does It Live?
The Beaver Mountain groundsel is found in the high parts of the Tushar Mountains in central Utah. Most of these areas are inside the Fishlake National Forest. It grows on peaks like Mt. Belknap and Gold Mountain.
Its Special Home
This plant likes to grow on bare, rocky slopes. These areas are called talus. They are often windy and open. It lives in an alpine tundra habitat, which is above the tree line. This means it's too cold and windy for trees to grow there.
Plant Neighbors
The areas where it grows do not have many plants. Other plants that share this tough habitat include sky pilot (Polemonium viscosum) and Mt. Belknap draba (Draba ramulosa). Various types of grasses also grow there.
