Mojave monkeyflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mojave monkeyflower |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Phrymaceae |
| Genus: | Diplacus |
| Species: |
D. mohavensis
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| Binomial name | |
| Diplacus mohavensis (Lemmon) G.L.Nesom
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The Diplacus mohavensis is a special type of monkeyflower. It is often called the Mojave monkeyflower because it lives in the Mojave Desert. This small plant is unique to certain parts of California. It's a fascinating example of desert plant life.
About the Mojave Monkeyflower
Where Does It Grow?
The Mojave monkeyflower is a plant that is endemic to San Bernardino County, California. This means it naturally grows only in this area. You can find it in the Mojave Desert. It often grows in sandy or gravelly places. These include dry creek beds, also known as arroyos.
Historically, this plant used to grow in more places. However, it has disappeared from some of its old locations. The number of these plants can change a lot each year. This is because their growth depends on how much rain falls. More rain usually means more monkeyflowers!
What Does It Look Like?
The Mojave monkeyflower is a small plant that lives for only one year. It is called an annual herb. It can grow either flat on the ground or stand up straight. Its maximum height is about 10 centimeters (about 4 inches). The plant has small, hairy leaves that grow opposite each other. These leaves are narrow and oval-shaped, usually less than 3 centimeters long.
The plant's color is often reddish-green or even red-purple. Its tiny flowers have a tube-like base. This base is covered by a hairy, ribbed cup made of red sepals. These sepals have pointed tips. The flower itself has a flat face with five round petals. The petals are pink with dark veins near the center. Their edges are white. You can see these beautiful flowers blooming from April to June.
