Fivestamen miterwort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fivestamen miterwort |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Mitella
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| Species: |
pentandra
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| Synonyms | |
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Pectiantia pentandrana (Hook.) Rydb. |
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The Fivestamen Miterwort or Five-point Bishop's Cap is a cool flowering plant. Its scientific name is Mitella pentandra (or sometimes Pectiantia pentandra). This plant belongs to the Saxifragaceae family, which is also known as the Saxifrage family.
Where This Plant Lives
You can find Mitella pentandra growing naturally across a large part of western North America. It stretches all the way from Alaska down to California and over to Colorado.
This plant loves places that are damp and shady. You might spot it in meadows, forests, or even on mountainsides. In the Sierra Nevada mountains, it grows at heights between 5,000 and 8,300 feet. It often pops up near stream banks and in wet, grassy areas.
What It Looks Like
The Fivestamen Miterwort is a plant that grows back every year. It has special underground stems called rhizomes that help it spread. This plant can grow to be about 50 to 60 centimeters (about 20 to 24 inches) tall.
Most of its leaves grow around the bottom of the stem. These leaves are oval-shaped and can be several centimeters wide. Their edges are divided into small, toothed sections, almost like tiny saw blades.
The plant also has a tall, straight stalk where its flowers grow. This flower stalk, called an inflorescence, can hold many flowers, sometimes up to 25! The flowers usually grow along one side of the stem. Each flower is shaped like a small saucer and has five green petals. These petals are very unique because they are split into thin, whisker-like parts.
