Lompoc yerba santa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lompoc yerba santa |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Boraginales |
| Family: | Boraginaceae |
| Genus: | Eriodictyon |
| Species: |
E. capitatum
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| Binomial name | |
| Eriodictyon capitatum |
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The Lompoc yerba santa (scientific name: Eriodictyon capitatum) is a special type of plant. It's a rare evergreen shrub, which means it's a bushy plant that stays green all year. It belongs to the borage family. This plant is only found in a small area in western Santa Barbara County, California, in the state of California.
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Where Does Lompoc Yerba Santa Grow?
This unique plant only grows in western Santa Barbara County, California. There are only five groups, or "populations," of these plants left in the world! Two of these groups are found on Vandenberg Air Force Base, which is a military base. Because it's so rare, the Lompoc yerba santa was officially listed as an endangered species in the year 2000. This means it's protected by law because it's at risk of disappearing forever.
Besides the groups on Vandenberg, two more groups grow just north of a town called Lompoc. One last group lives just south of Lompoc, on the hills of the Santa Ynez Mountains.
What Kind of Places Does it Like?
The Lompoc yerba santa likes to grow in two main types of places:
- Coastal Chaparral: This is a dry, shrubby area near the coast. Here, it grows on sandy soil alongside other plants like buckbrush (Ceanothus cuneatus), black sage (Salvia mellifera), and California sagebrush (Artemisia californica).
- Coastal Pine Forests: It also grows in forests near the coast, especially with bishop pine trees (Pinus muricata).
What Does Lompoc Yerba Santa Look Like?
The Lompoc yerba santa is a very special plant. Its stems can grow up to about 3 meters (or 9 feet) tall. These stems are smooth, sticky, and have a resin-like feel. The bark on the stems tends to peel off in thin strips.
The leaves of this plant are tough and feel like leather. They have a nice smell and are long and narrow, growing up to 9 centimeters in length.
When it blooms, the plant produces clusters of pretty, bell-shaped flowers. These flowers are lavender in color and have tiny hairs on them.
How Does Lompoc Yerba Santa Reproduce?
The Lompoc yerba santa can make new plants in two ways:
- Seeds: Like many plants, it produces seeds that can grow into new plants. This is called sexual reproduction.
- Underground Stems: It can also grow new stems from its roots underground. This is called vegetative reproduction. Sometimes, a whole group of plants that look separate are actually all connected underground and are one single plant! Some areas have fewer than 20 plants, and many of these might be connected clones.
Why is Lompoc Yerba Santa in Danger?
This rare plant faces several challenges that make it hard for it to survive:
- Invasive Plants: Other plants that are not native to the area can grow quickly and take over, pushing out the Lompoc yerba santa.
- Fire Management: How wildfires are managed in the area can also affect the plant.
- Low Seed Production: The plant doesn't produce many seeds, which makes it harder for new plants to start.
- Cloning Issues: Since some groups of plants are actually clones (all from one original plant), they can't pollinate each other to make seeds. This means they need pollen from a different, unrelated plant to reproduce successfully.
Images for kids
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A close-up of the Lompoc yerba santa plant.
 | Emma Amos |
 | Edward Mitchell Bannister |
 | Larry D. Alexander |
 | Ernie Barnes |
