Kern River daisy facts for kids

The Erigeron multiceps, also known as the Kern River daisy or Kern River fleabane, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the daisy family, just like the common daisies you might see in a field!

This plant is special because it is endemic to California. This means it is only found naturally in California and nowhere else in the world. You can mostly find it growing on the Kern Plateau, which is in the southern part of the High Sierra Nevada mountains. This area is located in eastern Tulare County.

About the Kern River Daisy

The Kern River daisy is a perennial herb. This means it is a plant that lives for many years, not just one season. It grows a stem that can be up to about 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) tall. The stem is usually covered in tiny hairs.

How it Grows

This plant grows from a strong main root called a taproot. It also has a woody base, known as a caudex, which helps it store energy and survive year after year.

What it Looks Like

At the bottom of the stem, you'll find oblong-shaped leaves. These leaves are usually between 2 and 5 centimeters long (about 1 to 2 inches). There are also some smaller leaves that grow along the stem.

The Kern River daisy produces special flower heads. These are not single flowers, but rather a cluster of many tiny flowers that look like one big flower. These flower heads are hairy and have small glands on them.

The Flowers

Each flower head is filled with bright yellow disc florets in the center. These are the tiny, tube-shaped flowers that make up the middle part of the daisy. Around the edge, there's a fringe of up to 125 thin, flat ray florets. These are the parts that look like petals. They can be white or have a slight purple tint.

Seeds and Reproduction

After the flowers bloom, the plant produces small, dry fruits called achenes. Each achene has a fluffy top made of bristles, known as a pappus. This pappus acts like a tiny parachute, helping the seeds float away on the wind to new places where they can grow.