Ragleaf bahia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ragleaf bahia |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hymenothrix
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| Species: |
dissecta
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Hymenothrix dissecta is a type of flowering plant found in North America. It belongs to the Asteraceae family, which includes daisies and sunflowers. People often call it yellow ragweed or ragleaf bahia.
This plant grows in the western United States. You can find it as far north as the Black Hills in South Dakota and Wyoming. It also grows in northern Mexico, including places like Baja California and Chihuahua.
Contents
About the Yellow Ragweed
Hymenothrix dissecta is a plant that lives for one or two years. It is an herb, meaning it has soft, green stems instead of woody ones.
What It Looks Like
This plant has a tall, thin stem that branches out. It can grow from about 20 centimeters (8 inches) to over one meter (3 feet) tall. The stems are often reddish and can feel a bit sticky or hairy.
Its leaves are mostly found near the bottom of the stem. They are divided into many thin, narrow parts.
Its Flowers
The plant produces several flower heads in a cluster. Each flower head has small, hairy, and sticky leaf-like parts around it.
Each head has bright yellow "petals" around the edge. These are called ray florets and are about half a centimeter long. In the center, there are many tiny yellow disc florets.
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a dark-colored fruit. This fruit is called an achene and is about 3 or 4 millimeters long. Sometimes, it has small, scale-like hairs on it.
Where It Grows
You can find Hymenothrix dissecta in different places. It grows on dry mountain slopes and even along roadsides. It likes areas that are not too wet.
How It Was Discovered
An American botanist named Asa Gray first described this plant in 1849. He called it Amauria dissecta back then. He found it in a valley between Guajuquilla and Mapimi in Chihuahua, Mexico.
Later, in 2016, another botanist named Bruce Gregg Baldwin placed it in a new group of plants called Hymenothrix. This is why its name changed to Hymenothrix dissecta.
See also
In Spanish: Amauriopsis dissecta para niños
