Common pussypaws facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Common pussypaws |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Calyptridium
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| Species: |
monandrum
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The Common Pussypaws (scientific name: Calyptridium monandrum) is a cool flowering plant. It's also known by another scientific name, Cistanthe monandra. This plant belongs to the Montiaceae family, which includes many interesting plants.
You can find Common Pussypaws growing naturally in the Southwestern United States, especially in Southern California. It also lives in nearby Baja California in Mexico. This plant loves sandy places like deserts, along coasts, and in mountain scrub areas.
What Does Common Pussypaws Look Like?
Common Pussypaws is a soft, flat plant that lives for only one year. It grows short stems that spread out along the ground or stand up from a small main root called a taproot.
Its leaves are thick and shaped like spoons. They grow in a circle at the bottom of the stem, like a rosette. These leaves can be up to 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) long. Smaller leaves also grow along the stems.
Flowers and Seeds
Tiny groups of flowers, called inflorescences, grow from the stems. Each flower has fleshy, triangle-shaped parts called sepals. It also has three pink or red petals, which are only a few millimeters long.
After the flowers bloom, they produce a fruit. This fruit is a clear, oval-shaped capsule, about 6 millimeters long. Inside, it holds several shiny, black seeds.
