Peirson's aster facts for kids

Oreostemma peirsonii (say: Oh-ree-oh-STEM-ma PEER-sun-ee-eye) is a special kind of aster flower. It is also known as Peirson's aster or Peirson's mountaincrown. This plant is found only in a specific part of California, high up in the mountains.

It is an endemic plant, which means it grows naturally only in one place. That place is the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. You can find it mostly where Fresno, Tulare, and Inyo Counties meet. It loves the very cold, high-altitude weather, like an alpine climate found on tall mountain peaks.

Description

What it Looks Like

Oreostemma peirsonii is a small plant that lives for many years. It is called a perennial herb. It grows from a thick root called a caudex and a main root called a taproot. This plant stays low to the ground. It usually grows no taller than about 8 centimeters (about 3 inches).

Its leaves grow from the bottom of the plant. They are long and thin, like lines, and can be a few centimeters long. The stem and leaves are mostly smooth, without much hair. They also have tiny sticky spots called resin glands.

The Flowers

The plant produces a single, beautiful flower head. This isn't just one flower. It is actually many tiny flowers grouped together! The head is surrounded by green or purplish leaf-like parts called phyllaries.

The flower head has many purple ray florets. These are the petal-like parts that stick out. They are between 1 and 2 centimeters long. In the center are many yellow disc florets. After the flower blooms, it produces a small, dry fruit called an achene.