Alpine rock butterweed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alpine rock butterweed |
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Senecio werneriifolius |
Packera werneriifolia, also called alpine rock butterweed or hoary groundsel, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the aster family, which includes daisies and sunflowers. This plant grows naturally in the western United States. You can find it in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It lives in high, cool places like subalpine and alpine climates. These areas include forests and rocky slopes, also known as talus.
About This Plant
This plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It is usually small, growing up to about 15 centimeters (6 inches) tall. Its look can change a bit depending on where it grows.
It has a group of thick leaves at its base. This is called a basal rosette. These leaves are usually long and narrow or oval. They are a few centimeters long. The leaves are often woolly and can be white or greenish. Their edges are smooth.
The plant has several stems that grow from the base. These stems have very few leaves. Each stem holds one to six flower heads.
The Flowers
The plant's flowers grow in a group called an inflorescence. This group can have one main flower head or a few clustered together. The flower heads can be smooth or quite woolly.
Each flower head has many small yellow flowers. These are called disc florets. There can be up to 40 of them. It also usually has 8 or 13 yellow ray florets. These are the petal-like parts you see on a daisy. Sometimes, the ray florets are not present at all. This plant blooms in July and August.
Where It Lives
The alpine rock butterweed is a low-growing plant. It can survive in the tough conditions of the high Sierra Nevada mountains. You can find it in the northern and central parts of this range. It grows at very high elevations. This means it lives between 10,000 and 13,000 feet (about 3,000 to 4,000 meters) above sea level.
