Boechera fecunda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boechera fecunda |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Boechera
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| Species: |
fecunda
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Boechera fecunda is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the mustard family. People often call it Mt. Sapphire rockcress or bitterroot rockcress. This plant is only found in Montana, in the United States. It grows in about twenty known spots across three counties there.
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All About the Mt. Sapphire Rockcress
This plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It grows a group of leaves at its base, like a small circle. These bottom leaves are shaped like spoons or spears. They are about 1 to 3 centimeters long. Leaves higher up on the stem are smaller. They wrap around the stem. The whole plant is covered in grayish hairs.
What Does It Look Like?
The main stem of the plant can grow up to 30 centimeters tall. It has white or light blue flowers. After the flowers, the plant makes a hairy, grayish fruit. This fruit is called a silique. It can be up to 5 centimeters long.
How Does It Grow?
The Mt. Sapphire rockcress has two ways to reproduce.
- Some plants grow flowers along their sides.
- Others grow flowers only at the very top of their stem.
- Some plants do both!
Plants that flower only at the top often bloom once and then die. This is like some salmon that lay eggs once and then pass away. Plants that flower along their sides can bloom for several years.
Where Does It Live?
This plant lives in Ravalli, Beaverhead, and Silver Bow Counties in Montana. It likes to grow where forests meet open grasslands and shrubs. You can find it on steep, rocky cliffs. These cliffs often have very little other plant life. The soil there is chalky. It is made from a special kind of rock.
The rockcress often grows near Douglas fir trees and Ponderosa pine trees. It also likes areas covered in a cryptogamic soil crust. This crust is a thin layer of tiny living things on the soil. It seems to help the rockcress grow well.
What Are Its Challenges?
The Mt. Sapphire rockcress faces some threats.
- Spotted knapweed: This is a harmful plant called a noxious weed. It can hurt the rockcress. It makes it harder for new rockcress plants to grow from seeds.
- Livestock: Animals like cows can walk on the land. This can damage the plants. It also helps new weeds spread.
- Mining: Activities like mining can also harm the places where the rockcress grows.
