Last Chance rockcress facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Last Chance rockcress |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Boechera
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| Species: |
yorkii
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The Last Chance rockcress (Boechera yorkii) is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the mustard family. This plant is found only in one specific area: Inyo County, California. You can find it growing in the Last Chance Range, which is part of Death Valley National Park.
Scientists have only found two groups of these plants so far. However, the areas where it grows are very remote. This means it is hard for people to reach them. So, there might be more plants hidden away that we don't know about yet.
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Discovering the Last Chance Rockcress
This special plant was only officially described to science in 2004. This means that before then, scientists did not know it was a unique species. It grows in tough, rocky mountain canyons. You can often spot it on cliffs made of a type of rock called dolomite.
What the Last Chance Rockcress Looks Like
The Last Chance rockcress is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years. It is also an herb, which means it has soft stems instead of woody ones.
Plant Structure
This plant grows from a strong, woody base called a caudex. At the bottom, it has a group of leaves that form a circle. This is called a basal rosette. These leaves are narrow and shaped like a spear or a line. They are covered in tiny, branching hairs.
The main stem grows straight up. It can be anywhere from 10 to 30 centimeters (about 4 to 12 inches) tall. This stem is also covered in a soft, felt-like layer of hairs.
Flowers and Fruit
At the top of the stem, you will find the plant's flowers. This cluster of flowers is called an inflorescence. It usually has between 8 and 35 flowers. These flowers first grow outwards and then droop downwards.
Each flower has fuzzy-haired sepals. Sepals are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. It also has four petals, each up to one centimeter long. The petals can be yellow or a brick-red color. Sometimes, they are yellow with brick-red tips.
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces fruit. The fruit is a hairy silique, which is a type of long, narrow seed pod. It can grow up to four centimeters long. This fruit is attached to the stem by a very short stalk. This stalk is only one or two millimeters long.
Why It's Not Very Vulnerable
Even though the Last Chance rockcress is very rare, it is not thought to be in great danger from human activities. This is because it lives in such a remote and rugged mountain area. It is hard for people to get to its habitat.
