Shrubby bullseye facts for kids

The shrubby bullseye (scientific name: Gochnatia hypoleuca) is a unique plant found in North America. It belongs to the sunflower family, which is a very large group of flowering plants. This plant is known for its interesting look and where it chooses to grow.

What is the Shrubby Bullseye?

The shrubby bullseye is a type of plant called a shrub. This means it's a woody plant, but it's smaller than a tree. It has many stems that grow from the ground. Its scientific name, Gochnatia hypoleuca, helps scientists around the world know exactly which plant they are talking about.

Where Does It Live?

This plant is native to parts of North America. You can find it growing naturally in northern Mexico. Its range stretches from Coahuila east to Tamaulipas and south to Oaxaca. It also grows just north of the Río Grande river in Texas, United States.

Its Favorite Places to Grow

The shrubby bullseye likes to grow in specific kinds of soil. It often lives in areas with gravel or a special type of soil called caliche. Caliche is a hardened layer of calcium carbonate. These soils are often found in desert areas. The plant is part of the "desert scrub" vegetation, which means it grows alongside other tough plants that can survive in dry, harsh environments.

What Does It Look Like?

The shrubby bullseye has some very distinct features. Its stems and the undersides of its leaves are covered with thick, white, woolly hairs. This fuzzy covering might help protect the plant from the sun or keep it from losing too much water.

Flowers of the Shrubby Bullseye

The plant produces flower heads that grow in tight groups. Each flower head has many whitish flowers. These small flowers have lobed corollas, which means their petals are divided into small sections.