Lesser hareleaf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lagophylla minor |
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L. minor
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| Lagophylla minor D.D.Keck
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The Lesser Hareleaf (scientific name: Lagophylla minor) is a special type of flowering plant. It belongs to the amazing sunflower family. This plant is quite unique because it only grows in one place: California, USA! You can find it in the hills around the Sacramento Valley.
The Lesser Hareleaf loves to grow in a particular kind of dirt called serpentine soil. This soil is not like regular garden soil; it has special minerals that only certain plants can handle.
Discover the Lesser Hareleaf
The Lesser Hareleaf is an annual herb. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces new seeds, and then dies all within one year. It's a busy plant!
What Does It Look Like?
This plant has a thin stem that can be purplish-brown. It's covered in tiny, stiff hairs, which might make it feel a bit fuzzy.
- Stems: Thin, forking (meaning it branches out), and purplish-brown.
- Leaves: They are also hairy and shaped like long, narrow lines. They are usually about 2 to 5 centimeters long. The leaves closer to the bottom of the stem have small teeth along their edges, while the ones higher up are smooth.
Its Flowers and Seeds
The Lesser Hareleaf produces pretty flower heads. These aren't just one flower, but a cluster of many tiny flowers grouped together.
- Ray Florets: Each flower head has five bright yellow "ray florets." These look like the petals of a daisy and have three small lobes (or sections) at their tips.
- Disc Florets: In the center of the flower head, there are six yellow "disc florets." These are tiny, tube-shaped flowers. They have black anthers, which are the parts that hold pollen.
- Bracts: Around the base of the flower head, there are special leaf-like structures called phyllaries. These phyllaries are covered in long, soft hairs.
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces its seeds. The fruit of the Lesser Hareleaf is a shiny black achene. An achene is a type of small, dry fruit that contains a single seed. These achenes are tiny, only about two to three millimeters long.
