Desert five-spot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Desert five-spot |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eremalche
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| Species: |
rotundifolia
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The Eremalche rotundifolia, also known as the desert five-spot, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the Malvaceae family, which also includes cotton and hibiscus. This plant grows naturally in the Mojave Desert and Colorado Desert. These deserts are found in the Southwestern United States.
This plant is an annual herb, meaning it grows from a seed, flowers, produces seeds, and then dies all within one year. It is a dicot, which means its seeds have two first leaves when they sprout. You can find the desert five-spot in scrublands, flat desert areas, and stony places. It grows at elevations between 50 and 1,500 meters (about 160 to 4,900 feet).
You can spot this unique wildflower in places like Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Death Valley National Park. Both parks are located in southern California. It also grows in parts of Nevada and Utah. Generally, you will only see its flowers between March and May.
Contents
What Does the Desert Five-Spot Look Like?
The desert five-spot is an annual plant. It usually grows to be about 8 to 60 centimeters (3 to 24 inches) tall. Its leaves are round and can be 1.5 to 6 centimeters (about 0.6 to 2.4 inches) wide. The edges of the leaves have small teeth.
Its Unique Flowers
The flowers of the desert five-spot are a dark pink or lilac color. Each flower has five petals that overlap each other. Near the bottom of each petal, there is a dark red or purple spot. These five spots give the plant its name!
When the flowers are fully open, their petals curve slightly inward. This makes the flower look almost like a sphere or a ball. In the center of the flower, you will see a ring of light pink stigmas. These are the parts that collect pollen. Inside this ring are smaller pink stamens, which produce the pollen.
Leaves and Stems
The leaves of the desert five-spot are round and green. They are covered with short, stiff hairs, which feel a bit bristly. The stems are reddish-brown and have similar but longer hairs. Most of the time, the stems do not have branches.
Daily Movements
The petals of the desert five-spot flowers close up at night. Then, they reopen again the next morning. The leaves also move during the day. They turn to face the sun, making sure they get the most sunlight possible. This helps the plant make its food through photosynthesis.
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See also
In Spanish: Eremalche rotundifolia para niños
