Dainty desert hideseed facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dainty desert hideseed
Scientific classification
Genus:	Eucrypta
Species:	micrantha

Eucrypta micrantha is a small flowering plant. People often call it the dainty desert hideseed. It belongs to the waterleaf family.

This plant grows naturally in the southwestern United States. You can also find it in the deserts of California and parts of northwestern Mexico. It likes to live in different desert and mountain areas.

About the Dainty Desert Hideseed

This plant is one of only two types of Eucrypta plants. They are special because they are sticky and have a nice smell. They are also "annual herbs," which means they grow from a seed, flower, make new seeds, and then die, all within one year.

This specific plant grows many thin stems. These stems are usually covered in tiny sticky glands. They can grow up to about 30 centimeters (about 12 inches) long.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of the dainty desert hideseed are generally oval. However, they are also deeply cut into many different shapes. Most of the leaves grow on the lower part of the stem. Any leaves found higher up on the plant are much smaller.

The plant's inflorescence is where its flowers grow. This plant produces several very tiny flowers. The sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud, often have black glands on them. Each flower is only a few millimeters wide. They can be white or purple and usually have a yellow center.

After the flower blooms, it forms a fruit. This fruit is a small, bristly capsule. It is only about 2 or 3 millimeters wide.