Hollybush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hollybush |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Tetracoccus (plant)
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| Species: |
ilicifolius
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Tetracoccus ilicifolius is a very rare flowering shrub. People often call it the hollybush or holly-leaved tetracoccus. It belongs to a plant family called Picrodendraceae. This special plant was first described by two botanists, Frederick Vernon Coville and Marshall French Gilman, in 1936. They were part of an important trip called the Death Valley Expedition back in 1891.
Where the Hollybush Lives
This plant is only found in California. It grows in just a few mountain ranges within Death Valley National Park. These areas are in the eastern part of Inyo County, which is in the Mojave Desert.
The hollybush likes to grow on dry, rocky slopes. You can find it at elevations between 600 and 1,700 meters (about 2,000 to 5,600 feet) high. It lives in mountain ranges like the Panamint Range, Grapevine Mountains, and Cottonwood Mountains, all around Death Valley.
There are very few places where this plant still grows. Because it is so rare, it is listed as a Critically endangered species. This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever.
What the Hollybush Looks Like
The Tetracoccus ilicifolius is a shrub with many branches. Most of the plant feels smooth, but its newest twigs have soft, brownish hairs. Its leaves are shiny and feel like leather. They grow either opposite each other or in circles around the branches. Each leaf is oval-shaped with a jagged edge, and it is about 1.5 to 3 centimeters (about 0.6 to 1.2 inches) long.
How the Hollybush Reproduces
This plant is dioecious. This means that some hollybush plants are male and others are female. The male plants produce one type of flower, and the female plants produce another.
- Male flowers: These flowers grow in tight groups. Each male flower has 7 to 9 sepals, which are like small, leaf-like parts that protect the flower. It also has 7 to 9 stamens, which are the parts that make pollen.
- Female flowers: These flowers grow by themselves, not in clusters.
The hollybush usually blooms in May and June. After blooming, the female plants produce a round, fuzzy, brown fruit. This fruit is about one centimeter (0.4 inches) long when it is fully grown. It usually has four sections, and each section holds one or two seeds.
