Nevada oryctes facts for kids

The Oryctes is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes and potatoes. This plant has only one known species, called Oryctes nevadensis. People often call it the Nevada oryctes.

This plant is quite rare. It grows in a small desert area right on the border between California and Nevada. It likes places with deep, sandy soil. It's hard to know exactly how many of these plants exist. This is because they only appear in years when there's a certain amount of rain and specific temperatures.

About the Nevada Oryctes

The Nevada oryctes is a small plant that lives for only one year. It grows from a main root called a taproot. The plant's leaves and stems are sticky and have tiny scales. It can grow up to about 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) tall.

What it Looks Like

The leaves of the Nevada oryctes are usually 1 to 3 centimeters long. They can be long and thin, or more oval-shaped. Sometimes, the leaves are divided into small sections called lobes. Their edges might also be a bit wavy.

The plant's flowers grow in small clusters called umbels. These clusters look a bit like tiny umbrellas. Each cluster has a few very small flowers. They grow from where the leaves meet the stem. The flowers are purplish and shaped like a tiny urn (a rounded pot). Each flower is only a few millimeters wide.

After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a round fruit. This fruit is a small, ball-shaped capsule. Inside the capsule, there are several seeds.

Where it Grows

This special plant is native to a very specific part of the desert. It needs deep sand to grow well. Its limited habitat makes it a rare find. Scientists continue to study its population.

See also

In Spanish: Oryctes nevadensis para niños