Delta eryngo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Delta eryngo |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eryngium
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| Species: |
racemosum
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Eryngium racemosum is a special flowering plant. It is also known as delta eryngo or delta button celery. This plant belongs to the Apiaceae family, which includes carrots and parsley.
Contents
Where Does It Live?
This plant is found only in California. It grows in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta area. This region is part of California's Central Valley. You can find it up to the start of the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Its Special Home
Eryngium racemosum likes wet places. It grows in areas that get flooded in spring. These are often near rivers and waterways. Sadly, many of these natural wet areas have changed. People have changed them for different uses. The plant also lives in a rare type of land called an alkali sink. This is a special kind of salty wetland in the delta.
Is It in Danger?
This plant is considered an endangered species in California. This means it is at risk of disappearing. There are 26 known places where this plant grows. But some of these places no longer have the plant.
What Threatens It?
Many things threaten the delta eryngo.
- Habitat loss: Its natural home is being destroyed.
- Water changes: How water flows in the delta has changed. The plant needs natural seasonal floods. But today, these floods are often stopped.
- River work: Activities like dredging (cleaning out riverbeds) also harm its home.
- Farming: Land is being turned into farms. This takes away the plant's habitat.
- New plants: Plants that are not native to California can also cause problems. They can take over the space where the delta eryngo grows.
What Does It Look Like?
Eryngium racemosum is a plant that mostly grows flat on the ground. It is a perennial plant, meaning it lives for more than two years. It has thin, branching stems that can spread out. They can grow up to half a meter long. If a stem touches wet soil, it might grow roots there.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of this plant are a few centimeters long. They have jagged or lobed edges. They grow on longer stalks called petioles. The flowers grow in a special cluster called an inflorescence. These clusters look like rounded or oval heads. Each flower head has five long, spiny leaves around it. These are called bracts. The flowers themselves are white or have a purple tint. They bloom from June through September.
