Caulanthus anceps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Caulanthus anceps |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Caulanthus
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| Species: |
anceps
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| Synonyms | |
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Guillenia lemmonii |
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Caulanthus anceps (also known as Guillenia lemmonii) is a cool flowering plant often called Lemmon's mustard. It belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which is the same family as cabbage and broccoli!
About Lemmon's Mustard
This plant is special because it's endemic to California. This means it naturally grows only in California and nowhere else in the world! You can find it on open hillsides and flat areas. It lives in places like the Central Coast Ranges and the nearby Central Valley. It especially likes areas where the soil is a bit alkaline. This means the soil has a higher pH level, like baking soda.
What It Looks Like
Lemmon's mustard is an annual herb. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces new seeds, and then dies all within one year. It has a tall, straight stem that looks a bit waxy. Its leaves are shaped like a spearhead and grow on small stalks called petioles.
The plant produces a flower cluster called a raceme. This cluster has many sweet-smelling flowers. Each flower has four lavender petals with pretty pink veins. After the flowers bloom, they turn into long, thin seed pods called siliques. These pods can grow up to 7 centimeters (about 3 inches) long.
