Rough eyelash facts for kids

Blepharipappus scaber, also known as the rough eyelash or rough eyelashweed, is a small plant found in North America. It belongs to the daisy family, which includes many well-known flowers like sunflowers and daisies. This plant is the only species in its group, called Blepharipappus.

About the Rough Eyelash Plant

The rough eyelash plant is a small, annual plant. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces seeds, and then dies all within one year. It is not very noticeable, but it has interesting features.

What the Rough Eyelash Looks Like

Blepharipappus scaber grows slender, fuzzy stems. At the top of these stems, you can see a flower head that looks like a small daisy.

• The outer petals, called ray florets, are white. They often have pretty purple markings.
• The center of the flower head is full of white disc florets. These are tiny tube-shaped flowers.
• The disc florets have purple parts inside them called anthers. These are where the pollen is made.

After the flower blooms, it produces a dark fruit. This fruit is called an achene, which is a small, dry seed. Often, this seed has a few stiff, light-colored bristles on it. These bristles look a bit like human eyelashes, which is how the plant got its common name.

Where the Rough Eyelash Grows

This plant is native to the northwestern United States. You can find it in states like Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, and northern California.

It likes to grow in forests. You can find it at different heights above sea level. It grows from about 300 meters (1,000 feet) up to 2,200 meters (7,300 feet) high.

How People Used It

Some Plateau Indian tribes used this plant. They used it as part of a traditional treatment for certain health issues.

See also

In Spanish: Blepharipappus para niños