Celmisia spectabilis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Celmisia spectabilis |
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Celmisia spectabilis is a special plant found in the mountains of New Zealand. People often call it the cotton daisy because of its soft, hairy leaves. This plant is part of the Asteraceae family, which is also known as the daisy family.
The cotton daisy has tough leaves that can grow up to 30 centimeters (about 12 inches) long. These leaves are usually shaped like an egg or a spear. The top side of the leaves is shiny green and has clear lines running along it. But the bottom side is covered in thick, soft, whitish or light brown hairs.
The bottom parts of the leaves stack up tightly. This forms a strong, fake stem called a pseudostem. These plants can spread out and form large mats, sometimes as wide as 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) across!
The flower stems of the cotton daisy can grow up to 30 centimeters tall. They are covered with many white hairs. Each stem has one large, beautiful flower head at its top. These flowers are about 3 to 5 centimeters (1 to 2 inches) wide. The outer petals, called ray florets, are white, and the center parts, called disc florets, are yellow.
Discovering the Cotton Daisy
The cotton daisy was first described in 1844 by a scientist named Joseph Dalton Hooker. He wrote about it in the first book of his Flora Antarctica. The plants he studied were collected by an English botanist, John Bidwill. Bidwill found these plants in 1839 on Mount Tongariro, which is on New Zealand's North Island.
Who Helps the Cotton Daisy Grow?
Many different insects help the Celmisia spectabilis plant make seeds. These helpers are called pollinators. Some examples of pollinators for the cotton daisy include a type of hoverfly called Melangyna novaezelandiae and a kind of bee from the genus Leioproctus.
