Fendler's sandmat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fendler's sandmat |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Euphorbia
|
| Species: |
fendleri
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Chamaesyce fendleri |
|
Euphorbia fendleri, also known as Fendler's sandmat, is a type of plant in the Euphorbia family. This plant is found in the southwestern and central parts of the United States. It also grows in northern Mexico.
You can often spot Fendler's sandmat in dry areas. It likes scrublands, woodlands, deserts, and high plateau regions. It grows close to the ground, forming a mat or a small clump.
Contents
What Does Fendler's Sandmat Look Like?
This plant has a reddish-green color. Its stems are often crooked and creep along the ground. They are smooth and do not have hairs.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of Fendler's sandmat are small. They are usually rounded, oval, or shaped like a spade. Their edges are smooth, and they often come to a point. Each leaf is usually less than one centimeter long.
The flowers of Fendler's sandmat are very tiny. They grow in a special cluster called a cyathium. This is a type of inflorescence, which means a group of flowers arranged in a specific way. The cyathium has white, scalloped parts that surround the actual flowers.
Inside this cluster, there are many male flowers. These are called staminate flowers. There are usually 25 to 35 of them in a ring. In the very center, there is one female flower. This is called a pistillate flower.
Fruit and Seeds
After the female flower is pollinated, its ovary grows bigger. It turns into a small, lobed fruit. This fruit is about 2 millimeters long. It holds the seeds for the next generation of plants.
Where Does Fendler's Sandmat Grow?
Fendler's sandmat is native to a wide area. It is found in states like Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma in the U.S. It also thrives in parts of northern Mexico. This plant is well-adapted to dry, open environments.
