Harmonia (plant) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harmonia |
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Madieae
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Harmonia
B.G. Baldwin
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| Madia hallii D.D.Keck
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Harmonia is a group of plants that are part of the Asteraceae family. This family is also known as the daisy or sunflower family. All five types of Harmonia plants are found only in the Coast Ranges of northern and central California. This means they are endemic to that area, growing naturally nowhere else in the world.
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About Harmonia Plants
Harmonia plants are closely related to another group of plants called Madia. Both of these groups are often called tarweeds. This name comes from the sticky, resin-like sap some of these plants produce.
What Do Harmonia Plants Look Like?
Harmonia plants are annual shrubs. This means they are small, woody plants that complete their entire life cycle (from seed to flower to seed) within one year. They often have stiff, short hairs called bristles. Sometimes, they also have glandular hairs, which are sticky hairs that can produce a special substance.
The flowers of Harmonia plants are quite interesting. Each flower head has a single row of leaf-like structures called phyllaries around its base. Inside, there are usually 3 to 8 ray flowers. These are the petal-like parts you see on the outside of a daisy. There are also 7 to 30 yellow disc flowers in the center. These are the tiny, tightly packed flowers that make up the middle part of the flower head.
Where Do Harmonia Plants Grow?
Most Harmonia species have a special preference for where they grow. All but one species, H. nutans, grow on serpentine soils. Serpentine soils are a unique type of soil that comes from a specific kind of rock. These soils can be challenging for many plants because they have unusual levels of certain minerals. However, Harmonia plants are well-adapted to these conditions.
Types of Harmonia Plants
There are five known species of Harmonia plants. Each one is found in specific areas within the California Coast Ranges:
- Harmonia doris-nilesiae (T.W.Nelson & J.P.Nelson) B.G.Baldwin - Found in the Klamath Mts..
- Harmonia guggolziorum B.G.Baldwin - Grows in Mendocino County, California.
- Harmonia hallii (D.D.Keck) B.G.Baldwin - Located in the Coast Ranges of north-central California.
- Harmonia nutans (Greene) B.G.Baldwin - Found in the Coast Ranges near San Francisco Bay.
- Harmonia stebbinsii (T.W.Nelson & J.P.Nelson) B.G.Baldwin - Also found in the Klamath Mts..
See also
You can learn more about Harmonia plants in Spanish here: Harmonia (planta) para niños
