Distant phacelia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Distant phacelia
Conservation status
Secure (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Boraginales
Family:	Boraginaceae
Genus:	Phacelia
Species:	P. distans
Binomial name
Phacelia distans Benth.
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Synonyms
Phacelia cinerea

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Phacelia distans is a type of flowering plant in the borage family, which scientists call Boraginaceae. People often know it by its common names: distant phacelia or distant scorpionweed. This plant grows naturally in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. You can find it in many different places, like forests, woodlands, chaparral (a type of shrubland), grasslands, and meadows.

What Does Distant Phacelia Look Like?

Phacelia distans is an annual herb, which means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces seeds, and then dies all within one year. It can grow in different ways, either lying low on the ground or standing straight up. Its stem can be 15 to 80 centimeters long. That's about 6 to 31 inches!

Stems and Leaves

The plant's stem might have branches or be a single stalk. It's usually covered in soft or stiff hairs and can feel a bit sticky because of tiny glands. The leaves are quite long, up to 10 to 15 centimeters (about 4 to 6 inches). They are often divided into many smaller parts, which can look very detailed.

Flowers and Colors

The flowers grow in a special shape called an inflorescence. It looks like a one-sided curve or coil, with many flowers packed together. Each flower is shaped like a funnel or a bell and is just under a centimeter long. You might see them in white, or in different shades of blue or purple.