Carmel Valley bushmallow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carmel Valley bushmallow |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Malacothamnus
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| Species: |
involucratus
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The Malacothamnus involucratus is a special type of flowering plant. It's commonly known as the Carmel Valley bushmallow. This plant belongs to the `mallow family`, which also includes cotton and hibiscus.
This bushmallow is `endemic` to `Monterey County, California`. This means it naturally grows only in this specific area. You can find it mainly in the Carmel Valley and Jolon regions. There's also a record of it in `San Luis Obispo County, California`, but scientists are still checking if that's correct.
About the Carmel Valley Bushmallow
The Carmel Valley bushmallow is a unique plant. It's known for its pretty flowers and how it grows. It's a `flowering plant`, meaning it produces flowers as part of its life cycle.
What Makes It Special?
Scientists can tell the Carmel Valley bushmallow apart from other similar plants by a few key features:
- Flower Clusters: Its flowers often grow in round or slightly spiky clusters.
- Leafy Parts: It has special leaf-like structures called `stipular bracts` that are quite wide.
- Tiny Hairs: The top surface of its leaves has tiny, star-shaped hairs. These hairs are not very dense, meaning they are spread out.
Other similar plants might have much denser hairs on their leaves or narrower stipular bracts. These small differences help scientists identify each unique species.
Its Scientific Name
Scientists give plants and animals special names to help identify them. The Carmel Valley bushmallow was first described in 1897. Back then, it was called `Malvastrum involucratum`.
Over time, scientists learn more about plants. Sometimes, they decide a plant's name or group needs to change. For a while, some thought this plant was a type of `Malacothamnus palmeri`. But in 2021, after more study, scientists confirmed it was its own distinct species. They gave it the name `Malacothamnus involucratus` again. This change happened because the plant looks different and grows in different places than `Malacothamnus palmeri`.
