Shasta snow-wreath facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shasta snow-wreath |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Neviusia
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| Species: |
cliftonii
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The Shasta snow-wreath (Neviusia cliftonii) is a very special and rare type of shrub. It belongs to the rose family, just like the roses you might see in a garden! This plant is only found in one place in the world: Shasta County, California. It grows in the mountains around Shasta Lake.
Scientists didn't even know about this shrub until 1992. It was discovered near Redding, California. Before this, the group of plants it belongs to, called Neviusia, only had one known type. Finding the Shasta snow-wreath was a big discovery!
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About the Shasta Snow-Wreath
The Shasta snow-wreath is a rare plant. It grows only in a small area in California. There are about 25 known groups of these plants. This makes them very important to protect.
What Does It Look Like?
The Shasta snow-wreath is a shrub that can grow up to 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) tall. It loses its leaves in the fall, just like many trees. Its leaves are shaped like an oval or a heart. They have jagged edges, like tiny teeth. Each leaf can be up to 6 centimeters (about 2.4 inches) long.
Its Unique Flowers
The flowers of the Shasta snow-wreath are very interesting. They grow in small clusters of 3 to 5 flowers. Each flower looks like a fluffy white ball. This ball is made up of about 50 long, thin white parts called stamens. Each stamen is about half a centimeter long.
Sometimes, a flower might have one small white petal. But often, there are no petals at all! After the flower blooms, it makes a small, soft fruit. This fruit is only a few millimeters long.
Why Was It Hard to Find?
Before it flowers, the Shasta snow-wreath looks a lot like other common shrubs. For example, it can look like oceanspray or ninebark. Because it blends in so well, it was hard for scientists to notice it for a long time.
