Prickly spineflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prickly spineflower |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chorizanthe
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| Species: |
rectispina
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The prickly spineflower (Chorizanthe rectispina) is a special kind of flowering plant. It is also called the straight-awned spineflower. This plant belongs to the buckwheat family.
About the Prickly Spineflower
The prickly spineflower is a plant that only grows in one place. This is called being endemic. It is found only in California, USA. You can find it in about 20 different spots. These spots are mostly in Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties.
Where It Grows
This plant likes to grow in dry places. It lives in areas like chaparral and woodlands. These are hilly areas in the Central Coast Ranges. Chaparral is a type of shrubland with tough, woody plants. Woodlands have more trees.
What It Looks Like
The prickly spineflower is a low plant. It spreads out along the ground. Its stems can grow up to about 25 centimeters long. That's about the length of a ruler! The stems are usually grayish or greenish. They also feel a bit hairy.
Its Flowers and Bracts
The plant's flowers grow in a group. This group is called an inflorescence. Each tiny flower is surrounded by six special leaves. These leaves are called bracts. The bracts are hairy and can be grayish or pink. They have sharp tips called awns.
One of these bracts is longer than the others. It has a straight awn. The other smaller bracts might have hooked awns. The actual flower is very small. It is only a few millimeters wide. The flower itself is white and yellow.
