Death Valley phacelia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Death Valley phacelia |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Phacelia
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| Species: |
vallis-mortae
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Phacelia vallis-mortae, also known as the Death Valley phacelia, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the borage family, which includes many plants with fuzzy leaves and pretty flowers. This plant grows naturally in the dry, hot deserts of the southwestern United States, especially in famous places like Death Valley. It also likes to grow in mountain areas, plateaus, and valleys where there are bushes and shrubs.
What is the Death Valley Phacelia?
This plant is an annual herb, which means it lives for only one growing season. It can grow up to about 60 centimeters (about 2 feet) tall. Its stem can be branched, like a small tree, or grow straight up without branches. The whole plant is covered in soft and stiff hairs, which might help it survive in its dry home.
What Does It Look Like?
The leaves of the Death Valley phacelia can be up to 8 centimeters (about 3 inches) long. Most of its leaves are "compound," meaning they are divided into smaller parts called leaflets. These leaflets often have jagged edges, like tiny teeth or rounded bumps.
The flowers grow in a special way called an inflorescence. It looks like a one-sided curve or coil. Each flower is shaped like a bell and is about 1 to 1.5 centimeters long. They come in lovely shades of lavender or purple. Each flower is surrounded by small, narrow leaf-like parts called sepals. These sepals are also covered in long hairs.
