Hall's harmonia facts for kids

Harmonia hallii is a type of flowering plant. People also call it Hall's harmonia or Hall's madia. It used to be known as Madia hallii. This plant belongs to the aster family, which includes plants like sunflowers and daisies.

What Does Hall's Harmonia Look Like?

Harmonia hallii is a small plant. It grows for only one year (an annual herb). It can reach about 18 centimeters (7 inches) tall. Its stem is stiff and has leaves. Sometimes the stem branches out.

The plant is covered in rough hairs. It also has sticky, dark glands and stiff bristles. Most of its hairy leaves grow close to the ground, around the bottom of the plant.

The plant's inflorescence (which is how its flowers are arranged) has one or more flower heads. These flower heads have yellow ray florets. Ray florets are like the "petals" you see on a daisy. They can be up to half a centimeter long. Sometimes, they have a little red color at their bases. The disc florets in the center of the flower head are also yellow.

After the flowers bloom, the plant produces fruit. The fruit is a club-shaped achene. An achene is a small, dry fruit that contains one seed. It is about 3 millimeters long. It also has a small pappus, which is a feathery or bristly structure. The pappus helps the seed spread by wind.

Where Does Hall's Harmonia Grow?

Harmonia hallii is endemic to California. This means it grows naturally only in California and nowhere else in the world. It is found in a small part of the North Coast Ranges.

This plant has only been reported in a few counties. These include Yolo, Lake, Colusa, and Napa Counties.

It grows in chaparral areas. Chaparral is a type of shrubland found in California. It prefers to grow on serpentine soils. These soils are special because they have unique minerals. The places where this plant can live are limited. Its habitat is shrinking because of activities like mining.