Granite mousetail facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Granite mousetail
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Genus:	Ivesia
Species:	I. muirii
Binomial name
Ivesia muirii Gray
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Ivesia muirii, also known as the granite mousetail, is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the rose family. This plant is found only in one specific area, which means it is endemic.

It grows naturally in the High Sierra Nevada mountains of California. You can often spot it on rocky slopes and cliffs.

Discovering the Granite Mousetail

The granite mousetail is a small plant that lives for many years. It grows in clumps, with its leaves and stems standing upright.

What Does the Granite Mousetail Look Like?

The leaves of this plant are quite unique. They are about 2 to 5 centimeters long. Each leaf is made up of many tiny, hairy leaflets that overlap tightly. This makes the leaf look like a small, pointed cylinder. Its color can range from whitish to silvery.

The plant's stem is mostly bare and can grow up to 15 centimeters tall. At the top of the stem, you'll find a cluster of flowers. This cluster is called an inflorescence.

The Flowers of Ivesia Muirii

Each flower is tiny, only about half a centimeter wide. They have triangular sepals, which are like small leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud. These sepals are covered in long, white hairs.

Between the sepals, you'll see bright yellow petals that are narrow and pointed. In the very center of the flower, there are a few stamens and pistils. These are the parts of the flower that help it make seeds.

The Fruit of the Plant

After the flower blooms, it produces a small fruit called an achene. This fruit is about two millimeters long. It is usually gray with small reddish spots.