Cooke's phacelia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cooke's phacelia |
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| Genus: |
Phacelia
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| Species: |
cookei
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Cooke's phacelia (scientific name: Phacelia cookei) is a very rare type of wild flower. It's only found in a small area around Mount Shasta in Siskiyou County, California. This special plant grows in sandy, ash-filled soil from volcanoes.
What is Cooke's Phacelia?
Cooke's phacelia is a plant that lives for only one year. It grows from a seed, blooms, makes new seeds, and then dies, all within a single year. It's a very special plant because it's endemic to a small area. This means it naturally grows only in that specific place and nowhere else in the world!
Where Does It Live?
This rare plant is found only in Siskiyou County, California. You can find it in the forests and scrublands around the famous Mount Shasta. The soil there is very unique. It's sandy and full of ash from volcanoes, which is perfect for this plant.
What Does It Look Like?
Cooke's phacelia is a small plant. It often grows flat on the ground like a little mat. Sometimes, it has a short stem that stands up just a few centimeters high.
Plant Details
- Color and Texture: The plant is a pretty blue-green color. It's also succulent, which means its leaves are a bit thick and juicy, like a cactus, helping it store water. It has soft, light hairs all over it.
- Leaves: Its leaves are oval-shaped and have smooth edges. They are quite small, only about one or two centimeters long. Each leaf grows on a short stalk called a petiole.
- Flowers: The flowers grow in a special cluster called an inflorescence. This cluster is hairy and curves or coils to one side. The flowers themselves are tiny and shaped like little bells. Each flower is white with delicate lavender lines. They are super small, less than half a millimeter wide and no more than 2 millimeters long!
