Salinas Valley popcornflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Salinas Valley popcornflower |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Plagiobothrys
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| Species: |
uncinatus
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Plagiobothrys uncinatus is a type of flowering plant. People often call it the Salinas Valley popcornflower or hooked popcornflower. It belongs to the borage family. This plant grows only in a special area of California. You can find it mainly in the Central Coast Ranges. It lives in places like the Santa Lucia Mountains and Gabilan Range. These areas are in Monterey County.
About the Salinas Valley Popcornflower
The Salinas Valley popcornflower, Plagiobothrys uncinatus, is a plant that grows in chaparral areas. Chaparral is a type of shrubland found in California. This plant also lives in other habitats, especially in canyons.
What Does it Look Like?
This plant is an annual herb. This means it completes its whole life cycle in one year. It has a stem that can grow up to about 20 centimeters (almost 8 inches) long. The stem might lie flat on the ground or stand upright.
The plant feels hairy and rough. Its hairs are stiff to the touch. The edges of the plant often have a red or purple color. If you crush the plant, it will release a purple liquid.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of the Salinas Valley popcornflower are about 1 to 2 centimeters long. Some leaves form a circle at the base of the stem. This is called a basal rosette. Other leaves grow along the stem in an alternating pattern.
The plant's flowers grow in a group called an inflorescence. Each flower is very tiny, only about 2 millimeters wide. They have five small white parts that look like petals. Around these flowers are leaf-like structures called sepals. These sepals are covered in long white hairs. The tips of these hairs are hooked, which is why it's sometimes called the "hooked popcornflower."
