Flaveria mcdougallii facts for kids

Flaveria mcdougallii is a very special and rare plant from North America. It's part of a group of plants called "yellowtops," which belong to the large sunflower family. Imagine a tiny sunflower, but without the big petals! This plant is super hard to find. It only grows in a few places in the Grand Canyon area of Arizona, in the southwestern United States.

About Flaveria mcdougallii

This plant is known by its scientific name, Flaveria mcdougallii. It's a type of plant called a subshrub. This means it's like a small bush, but not quite as woody as a full shrub. It doesn't have any hairs on its stems or leaves, making it smooth to the touch.

Where This Rare Plant Lives

Flaveria mcdougallii is incredibly rare. It has only been found in four specific spots. All these places are in the Grand Canyon region of northwestern Arizona. You can find it in two counties there: Mohave County and Coconino County.

Many of these plant groups live inside the famous Grand Canyon National Park. Other groups are found on the Hualapai Indian Reservation. This shows how important it is to protect these special areas.

What Flaveria mcdougallii Looks Like

This plant is quite small. It usually grows to be about 50 centimeters (which is about 20 inches) tall. That's roughly the height of a large ruler or a small dog.

Even though it's small, one Flaveria mcdougallii plant can produce many flowers. It can have 200 or even more small yellow flower heads. These flower heads grow together in a flat-topped bunch. Each tiny flower head has between 2 and 6 "disc flowers." These are the small, tube-shaped flowers you see in the center of a sunflower. However, unlike a typical sunflower, Flaveria mcdougallii does not have any "ray flowers." These are the long, colorful petals that stick out from the edge of a sunflower.

Its Special Home

Flaveria mcdougallii likes to grow in very specific places. It mainly lives near alkaline springs. These are natural springs where the water has a higher pH level, meaning it's more basic or "alkaline." It also grows along the banks of the mighty Colorado River. This shows that the plant needs a steady supply of water and a particular type of soil to survive.