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Nuttall's rayless goldenrod facts for kids

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Nuttall's rayless goldenrod
Bigelowia nuttallii.jpg
Black Warrior River, Blount County, Alabama
Scientific classification
Genus:
Bigelowia
Species:
nuttallii

Bigelowia nuttallii, also known as Nuttall's rayless goldenrod, is a cool flowering plant found in the southern United States. It's part of the huge daisy family, which includes many familiar flowers like sunflowers and dandelions! This plant is special because it doesn't have the usual "rays" or petals that stick out from its flower heads.

Discovering Nuttall's Rayless Goldenrod

What Does This Plant Look Like?

Nuttall's rayless goldenrod is a type of small shrub that can grow up to about 70 centimeters (or 28 inches) tall. It often grows in groups, forming clumps of plants.

Most of its leaves grow in a flat circle close to the ground. This is called a rosette. The leaves on its stems are smaller and thinner.

Its Unique Flowers

The plant's flower heads are small and yellow. They grow in flat-topped groups, which looks pretty neat! Each flower head has a few tiny flowers inside, usually between 2 and 6. These are called disc florets.

What makes this plant special is that it doesn't have any ray florets. Ray florets are the long, petal-like parts you see on many daisies, like the white "petals" on a common daisy. Nuttall's rayless goldenrod just has the central disc flowers.

Where Does It Grow?

You can find Bigelowia nuttallii growing in the southern parts of the United States. It is native to states like Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. This plant usually prefers to grow in sandy soil.

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