Erect dwarf cudweed facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hesperevax sparsiflora
var. brevifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Subfamily:	Asteroideae
Genus:	Hesperevax
Species:	H. sparsiflora
Binomial name
Hesperevax sparsiflora (Gray) Greene

Hesperevax sparsiflora is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the daisy family. People often call it the erect dwarf cudweed.

This plant grows naturally in California and Oregon. You can find it in different places. It likes sandy areas near the coast. It also grows in special serpentine soils on hills further inland.

Meet the Erect Dwarf Cudweed

The erect dwarf cudweed is a small plant. It grows as an annual herb. This means it completes its life cycle in one year. It has a soft, woolly feel.

This plant usually stays quite short. It can grow up to 18 centimeters tall. That's less than a foot!

What Does It Look Like?

The leaves of the erect dwarf cudweed are interesting. They can be oval, rounded, or shaped like a scoop. Each leaf sits on a short stem called a petiole. The exact shape of the leaves can be different. This depends on the specific type of the plant.

Small flower heads grow on the plant. They appear right between the leaves. These tiny flowers are usually greenish or whitish. They are made up of many small disc florets.

Different Kinds of Erect Dwarf Cudweed

There are two main types, or varieties, of Hesperevax sparsiflora. Each variety has slightly different features.

• H. s. var. brevifolia is called the short-leaved evax. This variety is not very common. It grows mostly along the coast. Its leaves are usually less than one centimeter long.

• H. s. var. sparsiflora is the other variety. It has longer leaves than brevifolia. This type is more common. However, you can only find it in California.