Castilleja exserta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castilleja exserta |
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Castilleja
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exserta
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Castilleja exserta is a cool plant often called purple owl's clover. People also know it as escobita or exserted Indian paintbrush. It's part of the Castilleja plant family, which includes other Indian paintbrush flowers.
This plant naturally grows in the Southwestern United States. You can find it in places like California, Arizona, and New Mexico. It also grows in northwestern Mexico. It was later brought to Hawaii by people.
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What is Purple Owl's Clover?
The purple owl's clover is an annual plant, meaning it lives for about one year. It usually grows to be about 10 to 45 centimeters (4 to 18 inches) tall. Its stem is a bit hairy, and it has thin, thread-like leaves.
Like some other Castilleja plants, this one is a hemiparasite. This means it gets some of its food from the roots of other plants. It does this by connecting to them with special parts called haustoria. Because it "borrows" nutrients, its own leaves stay small.
Even though this plant can look a little different from one place to another, it usually has bright pink-purple or lavender flowers. These flowers grow in a shaggy cluster. The thin, upright parts under the flowers are often the same color. This makes the whole flower cluster look like a paintbrush, which is why it's sometimes called "Indian paintbrush."
Different Kinds of Purple Owl's Clover
There are a few different types, or varieties, of Castilleja exserta:
- Castilleja exserta var. exserta — This is known as the pale purple owlclover.
- Castilleja exserta var. latifolia — This type is called the wideleaf Indian paintbrush. It only grows in coastal California.
- Castilleja exserta var. venusta — This variety is found only in California, in areas like the Mojave Desert and the southern San Joaquin Valley.
A Home for Butterflies
This plant is super important for a special butterfly called the Bay checkerspot butterfly. This butterfly is a threatened species, meaning it's in danger of disappearing. It lives only in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. The butterfly needs the purple owl's clover to lay its eggs and for its caterpillars to eat.
Long ago, indigenous peoples of California would gather the seeds of this plant to eat.
Images for kids
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2015
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Antelope Valley Purple owl's clover
