Manyray gumweed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Manyray gumweed |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Grindelia
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| Species: |
grandiflora
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Grindelia grandiflora, also known as the manyray gumweed, is a beautiful flowering plant from North America. It belongs to the daisy family, just like sunflowers and dandelions! You can find this plant growing naturally in the south-central United States, especially in Texas, and also in north-central Mexico, in the state of Coahuila.
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Discovering Manyray Gumweed
The manyray gumweed is a type of plant that grows for only one year. This means it sprouts from a seed, grows, flowers, produces new seeds, and then dies all within a single year. It can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching up to 200 centimeters (that's about 7 feet or as tall as a tall person!).
Where Does Manyray Gumweed Grow?
This plant is quite adaptable and can be found in many different places. It loves open spaces like grasslands and scrublands. You might also spot it growing along roadsides or in ditches. It also likes to be near water, so it often grows along the banks of streams.
What Does Manyray Gumweed Look Like?
The manyray gumweed produces many bright, cheerful flowers. These flowers usually grow in groups on branching stems. Each flower head looks a bit like a small sunflower.
The Flowers of Manyray Gumweed
Each flower head has two main parts:
- Ray flowers: These are the petal-like parts around the outside of the flower. Manyray gumweed usually has between 17 and 26 of these ray flowers. They are often bright yellow.
- Disc flowers: These are the tiny flowers packed tightly in the center of the flower head. There are usually many of these small disc flowers.
These flowers are important for attracting insects like bees and butterflies. These insects help the plant make new seeds, which is how the plant reproduces.
