Paradox sunflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Paradox sunflower |
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Helianthus
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paradoxus
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The Pecos sunflower, also known as the puzzle sunflower, is a very special type of sunflower. Its scientific name is Helianthus paradoxus. You can only find this rare plant in certain salty areas. It grows in west Texas, Utah, and New Mexico. Look for it near the edges of inland salt lakes and salt flats.
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What Makes the Pecos Sunflower Special?
The Pecos sunflower is unique because it's a hybrid plant. This means it formed from two different parent sunflowers. About 75,000 to 208,000 years ago, the common sunflower (H. annuus) and the prairie sunflower (Helianthus petiolaris) mixed their genes. The result was the Pecos sunflower!
A Plant That Loves Salt
What's amazing is that the Pecos sunflower can handle a lot more salt than its parent plants. It lives in places where the salt levels are very high. These areas can have salt levels from 10 to 40 parts per thousand. Because it can live in such salty conditions, the Pecos sunflower is called a halophyte. This word means "salt-loving plant."
How the Pecos Sunflower Grows
The Pecos sunflower is an annual plant. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces new seeds, and then dies all within one year. It's an herbaceous plant, so it has soft stems, not woody ones like a tree.
Size and Appearance
This sunflower can grow quite tall, usually between 1 and 3 meters (about 3 to 10 feet) high. It has branches near the top. Its leaves are shaped like a spear and can be up to 17.5 centimeters (about 7 inches) long. They have three clear veins. The stem and leaves have a few short, stiff hairs.
Beautiful Flowers
The Pecos sunflower's flower heads are about 5 to 7 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) wide. They have bright yellow petals, called ray florets. In the center, you'll see a dark purplish-brown area made of many tiny disc flowers. Unlike many other sunflowers, the Pecos sunflower blooms later in the year. You'll usually see its flowers in September and October.
Protecting This Unique Flower
The Pecos sunflower is a threatened species. This means its numbers are low, and it's at risk of disappearing forever. Because of this, it was added to the Endangered Species Act on October 20, 1999. This law helps protect plants and animals that are in danger.
Where It Lives
You can find the Pecos sunflower in special wet areas. These include spring seeps, wet meadows, and the edges of ponds and streams. All these places rely on natural groundwater. Protecting these water sources is very important for the survival of the Pecos sunflower.
