Ash Creek mousetail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ash Creek mousetail |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ivesia
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| Species: |
paniculata
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The Ivesia paniculata is a special flowering plant. It is often called the Ash Creek mousetail or Ash Creek ivesia. This plant belongs to the rose family.
Meet the Ash Creek Mousetail!
The Ash Creek mousetail is a small plant that lives for many years. Plants that live for more than two years are called perennials. This plant grows in a matted clump. It has a thick, woody base called a caudex. Its stems and leaves can lie on the ground or stand up a little bit.
Where Does It Live?
This plant is very rare. It is endemic to a specific area. This means it is found only in one place in the world. The Ash Creek mousetail lives on the Modoc Plateau in northeastern California. You can find it in Lassen and Modoc Counties. It is known only from the area around Ash Valley.
It likes to grow in places with sagebrush. It prefers volcanic soils and rocky slopes.
What Does It Look Like?
The leaves of the Ash Creek mousetail are about 2 to 5 centimeters long. They are made of many tiny, green leaflets. These leaflets have pink edges and are covered in short white hairs. The leaflets overlap, making each leaf look like a small cylinder.
The stems are mostly bare and have a pinkish color. They hold clusters of flowers. These flower clusters are called inflorescences. Each flower is small, about half a centimeter wide. The flowers have hairy, pink-edged green parts called sepals. These sepals are like small leaves under the petals. The petals themselves are tiny and pale yellow. Each flower has five stamens, which are the male parts. It also has a few pistils, which are the female parts.
Its Discovery
Scientists first described this unique plant in 1981. This means it was officially named and recorded in that year.
