Mt. Tamalpais lessingia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mt. Tamalpais lessingia |
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Astereae
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L. micradenia
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| Lessingia micradenia |
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The Mt. Tamalpais lessingia (scientific name: Lessingia micradenia) is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the daisy family, which includes many common flowers. This special plant grows only in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. It prefers unique serpentine soils, which are rocky and have a different chemical makeup.
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About the Mt. Tamalpais Lessingia
This plant is considered rare because it grows in very few places. It is endemic to the Bay Area, meaning it's found nowhere else in the world. The species is divided into two rare types, called varieties. Each variety lives in a specific, small area.
Where It Grows
One variety, Lessingia micradenia var. glabrata, is found in Santa Clara County. This is south of the city of San Jose. The other variety, Lessingia micradenia var. micradenia, grows only in a few spots. These spots are around Mount Tamalpais in Marin County.
What Does It Look Like?
The Mt. Tamalpais lessingia is a slender plant that lives for only one year. It is an annual herb, meaning it grows from a seed, flowers, produces seeds, and then dies all within a single year.
Size and Texture
This plant can be quite small, just a few centimeters tall. But it can also grow taller, reaching over half a meter (about 20 inches). It often has branches that spread out. The plant can feel hairy or even woolly to the touch.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves at the top of the plant are small and pointed. They are usually less than 2 centimeters (about 0.8 inches) long. The lower leaves are longer, but they tend to dry up and fall off early.
The plant's small flower heads can appear alone or in groups. Each flower head has special leaves called phyllaries around its base. These phyllaries have purple tips and are often sticky. The flower head itself is round and disc-shaped. It doesn't have the typical petal-like ray florets that you see on a daisy. Instead, it has several small, funnel-shaped flowers called disc florets. These disc florets are usually light purple or almost white.
Seeds
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces small fruits. Each fruit is a type of seed called an achene. It has five distinct, whitish points on top, which help it spread.
