Ochoco lomatium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ochoco lomatium |
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Selineae
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L. ochocense
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| Lomatium ochocense Helliwell & Constance
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The Ochoco lomatium (scientific name: Lomatium ochocense) is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the carrot family, just like the carrots we eat! This plant is quite rare and only grows in one specific place: the Ochoco Mountains in Crook County, Oregon. When a plant or animal only lives in one small area, we say it is endemic to that place.
Contents
What is the Ochoco Lomatium?
Discovery and Appearance
Scientists first found this plant in 1994. They officially described it as a new species in 2010. The Ochoco lomatium is a small plant. It is a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years and does not have woody stems. It usually grows up to 8 centimeters (about 3 inches) tall.
This plant has a large black root. This root can be up to 3 centimeters (about 1.2 inches) wide. Its leaves are a waxy blue-green color. They are divided into many small parts that overlap each other.
Flowers and How They Grow
The flowers of the Ochoco lomatium grow in a special cluster. This cluster is called a compound umbel. It looks like an umbrella shape, with many tiny flowers spreading out horizontally. The flowers are yellow and very small.
Some of these flowers are bisexual, meaning they have both male and female parts. Other flowers are only staminate, meaning they only have male parts (stamens) and no female parts. This plant often grows near other Lomatium species. You can tell the Ochoco lomatium apart by its unique blue-green leaves with overlapping leaflets.
Where Does the Ochoco Lomatium Live?
Habitat and Neighbors
This plant prefers a specific type of home. It grows in scabland areas. These are places with lots of exposed bedrock (rock that is still part of the Earth's crust).
Many other plants share this habitat with the Ochoco lomatium. Some of its neighbors include scabland sagebrush, pine bluegrass, and rock onion. You might also find bitterroot, Henderson's needlegrass, and wormleaf stonecrop growing nearby. Other types of Lomatium plants are also common in these areas.
Conservation Status
Even though the Ochoco lomatium is only found in one small area, its future looks good. The groups of these plants are quite large. They live on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. This means there are not many things threatening their survival right now.
