Thickleaf monardella facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thickleaf monardella |
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|---|---|
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| ssp. lanata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Monardella
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| Species: |
hypoleuca
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Monardella hypoleuca is a type of flowering plant that belongs to the mint family. People often call it the thickleaf monardella or white leaf monardella.
This plant is special because it grows only in Southern California. You can find it on the hills and slopes near the coast. It likes to live in areas called chaparral and oak woodlands. These are natural areas found in the California chaparral and woodlands region.
Discovering the White Leaf Monardella
Monardella hypoleuca is a plant that lives for many years. It has a stem that stands straight up and is purple. This stem is covered in short, soft hairs.
The leaves of the plant are green. They are shaped like a spear or an oval. The leaves grow in pairs on opposite sides of the stem. If you look underneath the leaves, you'll see they are covered in soft, white, woolly hairs.
The plant's flowers grow in a cluster, like a small head. This cluster of flowers is surrounded by special leaves called bracts. These bracts are purplish and also have woolly hairs. They are usually about 2 to 4 centimeters wide. Each flower is about 1.5 centimeters long. The flowers can be white or have a light purple color.
Different Types of White Leaf Monardella
Just like there can be different breeds of dogs, there are different types of Monardella hypoleuca called subspecies. These are slightly different versions of the same plant species.
- Monardella hypoleuca subsp. hypoleuca: This type grows only from Orange County up to Santa Barbara County.
- Monardella hypoleuca ssp. intermedia: This type is found only in the Santa Ana Mountains.
- Monardella hypoleuca ssp. lanata: This one is also known as the feltleaf monardella. It grows only in the Peninsular Ranges, including the Cuyamaca Mountains, within San Diego County.
