Giant woollystar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Giant woollystar |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eriastrum
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| Species: |
densifolium
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Eriastrum densifolium is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the phlox family. Most people call it the giant woollystar. This plant is a beautiful wildflower.
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Giant Woollystar: A Special Wildflower
The giant woollystar is a plant that grows in California and Baja California. You can find it in open, sunny places. These include sandy areas like sand dunes and dry riverbeds called washes.
What Does It Look Like?
The giant woollystar grows on a straight stem. Its leaves and stem can be slightly fuzzy or very woolly. This often gives the plant a dark gray-green color. The leaves are long and narrow, like spikes. They have pointed edges.
At the top of each stem, you'll see a cluster of flowers. This cluster is called an inflorescence. It has fuzzy, leaf-like parts called bracts. The flowers are shaped like funnels and open flat. Each flower is about 1 to 3 centimeters long. The wide part of the flower can be up to three or four centimeters across. The petals are usually white or a bright, pretty blue. Sometimes, they have thin stripes. The parts that hold pollen, called stamens, stick out from the center of the flower.
The Rare Santa Ana River Woollystar
There are two main types, or subspecies, of this plant. One of them is much rarer. It is called ssp. sanctorum, or the Santa Ana River woollystar. This special plant only grows in the Santa Ana River area. This area is in San Bernardino County, California.
Why Is It Endangered?
The Santa Ana River woollystar was officially listed as an endangered species in 1987. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever. It lives in higher parts of the floodplain, which are areas near a river that can flood.
A large structure called the Seven Oaks Dam was built nearby. People worried that this dam would change how water flows in the Santa Ana River. Such changes could harm the plants that depend on specific water conditions.
