Ownbey's thistle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ownbey's thistle |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cirsium
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| Species: |
ownbeyi
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Ownbey's thistle (Cirsium ownbeyi) is a special and rare flowering plant. It belongs to the aster family, which includes many well-known flowers like sunflowers. This plant is found only in a small part of the United States. You can find it in northeast Utah, southwest Wyoming, and northwest Colorado. Scientists know of about 30 groups of these plants. Together, there are around 25,000 individual Ownbey's thistles.
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What Ownbey's Thistle Looks Like
Ownbey's thistle is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years. It grows as an herb, not a woody tree or bush. The plant can reach a height of 30 to 70 centimeters (12 to 28 inches). That's about as tall as a ruler or two.
It grows from a main root called a taproot. This root goes deep into the ground. The plant has one or more straight stems. Its leaves can grow up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) long.
Flowers and Fruit
The plant's flower heads are oval shaped. They are about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) long and wide. These heads are covered in green leaf-like parts called phyllaries. These phyllaries have small spines up to a centimeter long.
Inside the flower head, you'll find white, pink, or purple flowers. Each flower can be up to 2 centimeters long. Ownbey's thistle blooms during the summer months. You can see its flowers from June through August. After blooming, the plant produces fruit. The fruit can be 2 centimeters long. It has a long, feathery part called a pappus. This pappus helps the seeds float away in the wind.
Where Ownbey's Thistle Lives
This plant likes to grow in certain types of places. It is often found where sagebrush grows. It also lives in areas with many juniper trees. Sometimes, it grows near rivers in what are called riparian zones.
The ground where it lives is usually made of sandstone. But sometimes, it can also be found on limestone.
Protecting Ownbey's Thistle
Ownbey's thistle is a rare plant, so it needs protection. Some of these plants grow in Dinosaur National Monument. This is a special park where visitors come to see dinosaurs. However, people walking around can sometimes disturb the plants.
Another threat to Ownbey's thistle is a small bug. It's a type of weevil called Rhinocyllus conicus. This weevil was brought to the area on purpose. It was meant to help control another plant called musk thistle. This is a method called biological pest control. The idea was that the weevil would eat the musk thistle seeds. But sometimes, these weevils also eat the seeds of Ownbey's thistle. This makes it harder for the rare Ownbey's thistle to grow new plants.
