Castle Crags bellflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castle Crags bellflower |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Campanula
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| Species: |
shetleri
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Campanula shetleri is a very special and rare flower. It's often called the Castle Crags bellflower because it grows near a cool mountain area called Castle Crags. This plant is a type of bellflower, known for its bell-shaped flowers.
It only grows in one specific place: California. You can find it in the southern part of the Cascade Range, close to the border between Siskiyou and Shasta Counties. It lives in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
About the Castle Crags Bellflower
The Castle Crags bellflower is a very rare plant. It is found in only a few spots, less than ten in total. When a plant or animal only lives in one specific area, it is called endemic. This means the Castle Crags bellflower is endemic to California.
Where Does It Live?
This unique bellflower grows in temperate coniferous forests. These are forests with cone-bearing trees, like pine or fir, found in areas that are not too hot and not too cold. The plant prefers these specific forest conditions to thrive.
What Does It Look Like?
The Campanula shetleri is a small plant. It's a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years. It grows from a woody rhizome, which is like an underground stem.
The plant forms a small clump of hairy leaves. These leaves are usually no taller than 5 centimeters (about 2 inches). Each leaf feels a bit leathery and has about two pointed teeth on each side.
The flower itself is small, about a centimeter (less than half an inch) long. It can be white or a pale blue color. The petals of the flower curl back, and a part called the style sticks out.
After the flower, the plant produces a fruit. This fruit is a ribbed, cup-shaped capsule. Inside, there are tiny seeds, each about a millimeter wide.
