California sweetcicely facts for kids
Quick facts for kids California sweetcicely |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Osmorhiza
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| Species: |
brachypoda
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The California sweetcicely (scientific name: Osmorhiza brachypoda) is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Apiaceae family, which is also known as the carrot or parsley family. This plant gets its common name because it has a sweet smell.
Where It Lives
The California sweetcicely grows naturally in the mountains and wooded areas of California and Arizona. It likes to live at different heights, from about 200 meters (650 feet) up to 2000 meters (6,500 feet) above sea level.
You can find it in a few different types of places, like:
- Chaparral and woodlands: These are areas with lots of shrubs and small trees.
- Coniferous forests: These are forests filled with trees that have needles and cones, like pine trees.
In California, this plant is found in several mountain ranges. These include the Southern California Coast Ranges, the Transverse Ranges, and the Peninsular Ranges. It also grows in the central and southern foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
What It Looks Like
The California sweetcicely is a plant that lives for many years. It is a bit hairy and has a pleasant smell. It can grow to be about 30 to 80 centimeters (about 1 to 2.5 feet) tall.
Its green leaves can be up to 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) long. Each leaf is divided into smaller parts called leaflets, which often have jagged edges or lobes. The leaves grow on a long stem-like part called a petiole.
The plant's flowers are tiny and greenish-yellow. They grow in a special cluster called a compound umbel at the top of a main stem. After the flowers, the plant produces narrow, long fruits. These fruits have ridges and are a bit bristly, growing up to 2 centimeters (about 0.8 inches) long.
Plant Partners
The California sweetcicely is very important to a special insect. It is the only known plant that the Greya suffusca moth uses as a host. This moth is found only in California.
