Cooley's water-willow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cooley's water-willow |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Justicia
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| Species: |
cooleyi
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Justicia cooleyi, also known as Cooley's water-willow, is a very special and rare flowering plant. It belongs to the Acanthaceae family. This plant is found only in Florida, United States, in just a few counties. Because it's so rare, the government has listed it as an endangered species, meaning it needs protection to survive.
Contents
Where Does Cooley's Water-Willow Live?
This unique plant grows in Florida, mainly in Hernando and Sumter Counties. It has also been seen in Lake County. These areas are part of a region called the Brooksville Ridge.
How Many Are Left?
Scientists don't know exactly how many Cooley's water-willow plants exist today. This is because there haven't been many recent studies to count them all. In the year 2000, there were only seventeen known places where this plant was growing.
What Does This Plant Look Like?
Cooley's water-willow is a type of perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years. It grows from underground stems called rhizomes. These rhizomes help the plant spread and grow new shoots.
Plant Features
The plant grows straight up, with stems that can reach about half a meter tall. Its stems are hairy and have a square shape. The leaves grow in pairs, opposite each other on the stem, and can be up to 7 centimeters long.
The Flowers
The flowers of Cooley's water-willow are tubular, meaning they are shaped like a tube. They are purplish in color and about a centimeter long. Each flower has two "lips" that are marked with white patterns.
What Kind of Home Does It Need?
Cooley's water-willow prefers to live in certain types of hardwood forests. These forests usually have sandy or silty soil. Below the soil, there is often limestone rock.
Forest Neighbors
Many other plants share the forest home with Cooley's water-willow. Tall trees like magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), and cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto) are common. You might also see pignut hickory (Carya glabra) and different types of oak trees, such as laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia), live oak (Quercus virginiana), and water oak (Quercus nigra). Other trees include winged elm (Ulmus alata), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and sugarberry (Celtis laevigata).
Understory Plants
Closer to the ground, in the understory of the forest, you can find smaller plants. These include hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor), American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), and yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria).
Why Is This Plant Endangered?
The biggest danger to Cooley's water-willow is the destruction of its natural home. This is called habitat destruction.
Threats to Its Home
Much of the forest where this plant lives has been cleared away. This happens because people build new homes and buildings, or turn the land into farms. Mining for limestone also destroys the plant's habitat.
Invasive Plants
Even the remaining forests are in danger. Invasive plant species are a big problem. These are plants that are not native to the area and grow very fast. They can take over and choke out native plants like Cooley's water-willow. Two common invasive plants are skunkvine (Paederia foetida) and air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera). They form a thick layer on the ground, making it hard for native plants to grow.
Roads and Development
Building and maintaining roads also harms the plant and its habitat. Roads can cut through forests, destroying parts of the plant's home and making it harder for the ecosystem to thrive. Protecting these areas is very important to help Cooley's water-willow survive.
