Crystal Springs lessingia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crystal Springs lessingia |
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Astereae
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L. arachnoidea
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| Lessingia arachnoidea Greene
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The Lessingia arachnoidea is a special kind of flowering plant. It is often called the 'Crystal Springs lessingia'. This plant is part of the daisy family.
It is a rare plant found only in California. You can find it near the Crystal Springs Reservoir in the San Francisco area. It also grows in a place called Woodside. This plant likes to grow in special serpentine soil. It might also be found further north in Sonoma County. This plant grows in natural areas like chaparral and scrub.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
This plant is an annual herb. This means it lives for only one growing season. It has a thin, straight stem that can grow up to 80 centimeters tall. That's almost as tall as a baseball bat!
Stems and Leaves
The top parts of the stems are a bit fuzzy, like wool. The lower parts are smoother. Its leaves are long and thin. Some leaves have small teeth along their edges. The lowest leaves can be up to 11 centimeters long. The leaves get smaller as you go up the stem.
Flowers and Seeds
At the very top of each stem, there is one flower head. This flower head has tiny, pointed leaves called phyllaries around it. These phyllaries have purple tips. Sometimes they are also covered in fuzzy fibers.
The flower head is round and does not have flat petals like a daisy. Instead, it has several funnel-shaped flowers. These flowers are lavender in color. They have lobes that look a bit like rays.
After the flower blooms, it makes a fruit. This fruit is called an achene. It is small, only about 2 or 3 millimeters long. It has a hard, hairy body. On top of the achene, there is a small, bristly part called a pappus. This pappus helps the seed float away.
Where It Grows Best
This plant needs open ground to grow well. It likes soil without many other plants or weeds. It can even grow in the bare soil of well-used trails.
Flowering Time
The Crystal Springs lessingia flowers later in the year. It blooms from August to October. It is one of the last California wildflowers to open its flowers in the summer.
Seed Germination
Its seeds are good at sprouting. About 40% of the seeds will sprout in just three days. Most of them, around 80%, will sprout within 15 days. This helps the plant grow new generations each year.
