Kaweah brodiaea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kaweah brodiaea |
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The Kaweah brodiaea (scientific name: Brodiaea insignis) is a very special and rare flowering plant. It belongs to a group of plants called the cluster-lilies. You can only find this beautiful flower in a small part of central Tulare County, California. It grows in the Sierra Nevada foothills, especially near the Tule and Kaweah Rivers. This plant is considered endangered in California, which means it's at risk of disappearing forever.
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What Does the Kaweah Brodiaea Look Like?
This plant is a perennial, meaning it lives for more than two years. It grows a tall stem, up to 25 centimeters (about 10 inches) high. At the top of this stem, it has a cluster of flowers. This cluster is called an inflorescence.
The flowers are usually purple or pink. Each flower hangs on a long, thin stalk called a pedicel. The flower itself has a narrow tube shape at the bottom. This tube then opens up into a flat, star-like face.
Flower Parts
Each flower has six petal-like parts called tepals. These tepals are about 1 to 1.5 centimeters long. In the middle of the flower, you'll find some interesting parts:
- Stamens: There are three working stamens. These are the parts that produce pollen.
- Staminodes: There are also three special parts called staminodes. These look like stamens but they don't produce pollen. They are flat, white, and each has a tip that looks like it has two points.
Where Does This Rare Flower Grow?
The Kaweah brodiaea is found only in a very specific area. This is called being endemic to a place. For this plant, that place is the central part of Tulare County, California. It likes to grow in the lower hills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. You can often find it near the Tule and Kaweah Rivers.
Why Is the Kaweah Brodiaea Endangered?
Being an endangered species means that there are very few of these plants left in the wild. They are at risk of dying out completely. The state of California has officially listed the Kaweah brodiaea as endangered. This means people are working to protect its habitat and help it survive.
