Rose heath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chaetopappa ericoides |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Astereae
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| Genus: |
Chaetopappa
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| Species: |
C. ericoides
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| Binomial name | |
| Chaetopappa ericoides (Torr.) G.L.Nesom
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Synonymy
Aster arenosus (A.Heller) S.F.Blake
Aster ericifolius Rothr. 1877 not Forssk. 1775 Aster hirtifolius S.F.Blake Aster leucelene S.F.Blake Diplopappus ericoides (Torr.) Torr. & A.Gray 1841 not Less. 1831 Diplopappus ericoides var. hirtellus A.Gray Inula ericoides Torr. Leucelene ericoides (Torr.) Greene |
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Chaetopappa ericoides is a small flowering plant. It is part of the daisy family. People often call it rose heath or heath-leaved chaetopappa. This plant grows naturally in the southwestern and western Great Plains parts of the United States. You can also find it in northern Mexico. It lives in many states like California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, and more. It also grows in Mexican states like Chihuahua and Coahuila.
What Chaetopappa ericoides Looks Like
This plant is a tiny perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It usually grows to be about 5 to 15 centimeters tall. That's about 2 to 6 inches. Its stem is covered in small hairs and has tiny glands. It grows from a woody base called a caudex. The stem also branches out several times.
The green leaves are small, about one centimeter long. They also have tiny glands and feel bristly. The plant has very small flower heads. Each flower head is about 1 or 2 centimeters wide. They have white or pinkish ray florets around the outside. These look like petals. In the center, there are yellow disc florets.
Each flower head sits on a base of pointed, green phyllaries. These phyllaries have purple tips. After the flower blooms, it makes a fruit. This fruit is a hairy, round achene. It has a bristly white pappus on top. This pappus helps the seeds float away in the wind.
Traditional Uses of Rose Heath
The Zuni people are a Native American tribe. They have traditionally used this plant for different purposes. They would crush the whole plant into a powder. Then, they would mix it with water to make a liquid. This liquid was rubbed on the body to help with pain. It was used for discomfort from colds, swelling, and rheumatism.
The Zuni people also used a warm liquid made from the plant. This was taken to help make childbirth easier.
