Snake's head facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Snake's head |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Cichorieae
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| Genus: |
Malacothrix
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| Species: |
M. coulteri
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| Binomial name | |
| Malacothrix coulteri |
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Malacothrix coulteri is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the aster family, which includes sunflowers and daisies. People often call it the snake's head or snake's head desertdandelion. This plant is originally from the southwestern United States. It can also be found in southern South America, where it was brought by people.
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Where Does the Snake's Head Grow?
This plant likes to grow in many different places. You can find it in deserts, grasslands, and areas with chaparral plants. It especially likes open, sandy spots.
What Does the Snake's Head Look Like?
The snake's head plant is an annual herb. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces new seeds, and then dies all within one year. It has a waxy, upright stem that can grow up to about 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) tall.
Most of its leaves are found near the bottom of the stem. These leaves can be smooth or have small teeth along their edges.
The Flowers of the Snake's Head
The plant produces groups of flower heads. Each flower head has a round base called an involucre. This base is made of small, scale-like leaves called phyllaries. These phyllaries are usually green and sometimes have dark stripes or markings. The flower heads are about one to two centimeters wide.
The flowers themselves are called ray florets. They can be yellow or white and are about one centimeter long.
See Also
In Spanish: Malacothrix coulteri para niños
