Porsild's starwort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Porsild's starwort |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Stellaria
|
| Species: |
porsildii
|
Stellaria porsildii is a very special and rare flowering plant. It's also known as Porsild's starwort. This plant belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family, which includes many types of flowers. You can only find it in a few places in Arizona and New Mexico.
Discovering Porsild's Starwort
Porsild's starwort is a unique plant that grows in specific mountain areas. It was first officially described in 1992. This plant is considered rare because it doesn't grow in many places. In Arizona, you can find it in the Chiricahua Mountains. In New Mexico, it's known from only one mountain.
What Porsild's Starwort Looks Like
Porsild's starwort is a perennial plant. This means it lives for more than two years. It is also a herb, so it has soft stems instead of woody ones like trees.
- The plant grows an upright stem. This stem can be up to about 20 centimeters (almost 8 inches) tall.
- The stem grows from a special underground stem called a rhizome.
- Its green leaves are long and narrow, like a spear. They are about 3 centimeters (a little over an inch) long.
- The flowers are small, about one centimeter wide. Each flower has five white petals.
- They also have ten stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.
- After the flower, a black capsule grows. This capsule is the fruit and holds many tiny seeds.
Where Porsild's Starwort Lives
This plant likes to grow in certain types of forest areas. You can find it in open spaces within forests. It also grows along the edges of forests.
The forests where it lives are often made up of different kinds of trees:
- Oak trees
- Pine trees
- Poplar trees
- Douglas-fir trees
Porsild's starwort needs these specific conditions to grow well. Its rarity means it's important to protect the places where it lives.
