Jennifer's monardella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jennifer's monardella |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Monardella
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| Species: |
stoneana
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Monardella stoneana is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the mint family. People often call it Jennifer's monardella.
This special plant was named after Jennifer Stone. She is a plant ecologist, someone who studies how plants live in their environment. Monardella stoneana is a critically endangered plant. This means it is at very high risk of disappearing forever. It was once thought to be the same as another endangered plant, Monardella viminea, but scientists found they were different.
Where Does Jennifer's Monardella Live?
This rare plant lives in a small area. This area crosses the border between the United States and Mexico. In California, you can only find it in the San Ysidro Mountains.
It grows in specific types of natural areas. These include coastal sage scrub and chaparral. You can often find it growing in cracks in rocks. Sometimes, it even grows in streams that fill up with water during winter rains.
What Does Jennifer's Monardella Look Like?
Monardella stoneana is a small, bushy plant. It has a very strong, pleasant smell. Its stems can spread out up to 50 or 60 centimeters (about 20-24 inches). These stems have very few hairs or no hairs at all.
The plant has long, narrow leaves. They can be green or have a purple tint. Each leaf can grow up to 3.5 centimeters long and 1 centimeter wide. The flowers grow in clusters at the end of the stems. Sometimes, there are two or more clusters. Small, leaf-like parts called bracts are found at the base of these flower clusters. The flowers themselves are shaped like tubes. They are pale pink or bluish. Long stamens, which are part of the flower, stick out from the center.
