Sierra monardella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sierra monardella |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Monardella
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| Species: |
candicans
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The Sierra monardella (scientific name: Monardella candicans) is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the mint family, just like the mint you might use in chewing gum! This plant is known for its pretty flowers and is quite unique.
Where Does It Live?
This special plant is found only in one place: the Sierra Nevada foothills in California. When we say it's "endemic" to an area, it means it naturally grows there and nowhere else in the world! You can find the Sierra monardella in different natural spots, like:
- Areas with chaparral (a type of shrubland)
- Woodlands
- Forests
What It Looks Like
The Sierra monardella 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 purple stem
- Green leaves shaped like a spear (called "lance-shaped")
- Leaves that grow directly opposite each other on the stem
The flowers grow in a cluster called an inflorescence. This cluster looks like a head of several flowers. These flowers bloom inside a cup made of green, leafy parts called bracts. These bracts often have visible veins. Each flower has five lobes and is usually white, sometimes with small purple spots. They are about one centimeter long.
