Holy Ghost ipomopsis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Ghost ipomopsis |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ipomopsis
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| Species: |
sancti-spiritus
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The Ipomopsis sancti-spiritus is a very rare flowering plant. It is also known as the Holy Ghost ipomopsis. This plant belongs to the phlox family. It grows only in New Mexico, United States. You can find it in just one canyon in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Because it is so rare, the United States government lists it as an endangered species. This means it is at high risk of disappearing forever.
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Discovering a Rare Plant
Scientists first described the Holy Ghost ipomopsis in 1988. They noticed it was a bit different from a similar plant called Ipomopsis aggregata. This plant is so rare that it only grows along a two-mile (3-kilometer) stretch of Holy Ghost Canyon. This canyon is in San Miguel County, northern New Mexico.
It is hard to count exactly how many of these plants exist. This is because they look so much like I. aggregata. However, some guesses suggest there are only about 372 to 2047 individual plants. Research shows that this plant is in great danger of becoming extinct.
What Does It Look Like?
The Holy Ghost ipomopsis is a plant that lives for many years. It usually grows about 30 to 80 centimeters (about 1 to 2.5 feet) tall. Most of its leaves are found near the bottom of the plant. These leaves often dry up as the plant starts to flower. Leaves higher up on the stem become smaller.
The plant's flowers grow in groups. There is one group at the very top of the stem. Other groups grow along the sides of the upper stem. The flowers are a bright pink color. They have a thin, tube-like part that is up to 2 centimeters long. This tube opens into five pointed parts, each almost 1 centimeter long. The Holy Ghost ipomopsis blooms from July through September.
Where Does It Live?
This plant mostly grows on steep, west-facing slopes made of limestone. These slopes are usually next to a road in the Santa Fe National Forest. Other plants that grow in this area include ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides). You might also see Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus), and Woods' rose (Rosa woodsii). Some other plants found there are poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii), Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum), western yarrow (Achillea millefolium), and white ragweed (Hymenopappus newberryi).
Habitat and Survival
The Holy Ghost ipomopsis grows best in bare soil. It probably needs the ground to be disturbed from time to time. This helps keep other plants from growing too close and competing for space. The plant does not like shade. It also does not like a lot of dead leaves building up around it.
A buildup of dry leaves and brush can also increase the risk of a large wildfire. A big fire could destroy the entire population of these rare plants. Because of this, people are working to protect the plant. They clear away overgrown brush and other flammable materials. This helps reduce the risk of a devastating fire.
Reproduction Challenges
This species has trouble making new plants. It rarely reproduces successfully. Fewer than 10% of its flowers produce fruits. Also, the fruits often have very few good seeds. With so few plants able to reproduce, the species likely suffers from problems caused by inbreeding. This means the plants are too closely related. Scientists predict that the Holy Ghost ipomopsis could become extinct within 50 years if nothing changes.
