Brodiaea orcuttii facts for kids

Brodiaea orcuttii is a special kind of flowering plant often called Orcutt's brodiaea. It belongs to the Asparagaceae family, which includes plants like asparagus. This plant grows from a bulb, similar to an onion or a tulip.

You can find Orcutt's brodiaea mainly in Southern California, especially in San Diego County. It's not a very common plant there. It might also grow a little bit further south into Baja California, Mexico.

What Orcutt's Brodiaea Looks Like

Orcutt's brodiaea is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years, coming back each growing season. It grows a tall stem, called an inflorescence, which can reach up to 25 centimeters (about 10 inches) high.

At the top of this stem, you'll find its pretty flowers. Each flower hangs on a small stalk called a pedicel, which is a few centimeters long. The flowers have six purple petals, called tepals, that are about 1 to 2 centimeters long. A cool fact about Orcutt's brodiaea is that it's the only type of brodiaea plant that doesn't have staminodes. Staminodes are like tiny, non-working stamens (the parts of a flower that make pollen).

See also

In Spanish: Brodiaea orcuttii para niños