Haida Gwaii mountain-heather facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haida Gwaii mountain-heather |
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| Cassiope lycopodioides | |
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The Cassiope lycopodioides, also known as Haida Gwaii mountain-heather or clubmoss mountain heather, is a small plant. It is a type of evergreen shrub that grows close to the ground. This plant is originally from North America.
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Where Does This Plant Grow?
You can find the Haida Gwaii mountain-heather in several places. It grows in southern Alaska and British Columbia in Canada. It is also found in the US State of Washington.
This plant likes to live on rocky slopes. It grows in very cold, open areas called arctic and alpine tundra. These places are often high up in the mountains, sometimes as high as 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet). In Washington, it has only been found in King County.
The name "lycopodioides" sounds a bit complicated! It means that the plant looks a lot like some types of clubmoss. Clubmosses are ancient plants that look a bit like mosses but are actually more closely related to ferns.
What Does It Look Like?
The Haida Gwaii mountain-heather is a plant that lives for many years. It grows in flat, dense mats that stay very close to the ground.
Its leaves are narrow and small, only about 3 millimeters long. They are pressed tightly against the plant's stem.
When it blooms, it has beautiful white, bell-shaped flowers. These flowers can be up to 20 millimeters wide.
Are There Different Kinds of This Plant?
Some scientists believe there is a special type of this plant called Cassiope lycopodioides subsp. cristapilosa. This specific kind is only found in the Haida Gwaii islands. These islands used to be called the Queen Charlotte Islands. However, not all experts agree that this is a completely separate type of the plant.
See also
In Spanish: Cassiope lycopodioides para niños
