Oregon woollyheads facts for kids

Psilocarphus oregonus is a small flowering plant. People often call it the Oregon woollyhead or Oregon woolly marble. It belongs to the aster family, which includes daisies and sunflowers. This plant grows naturally in western North America. You can find it from Washington and Idaho all the way south to Baja California. It likes places that are wet for part of the year. For example, it often grows in vernal pools, which are temporary ponds.

What the Oregon Woollyhead Looks Like

The Oregon woollyhead is a tiny plant. It is an annual herb, which means it lives for only one growing season. This plant grows several stems. Each stem is only a few centimeters long. These stems are covered in shiny, silvery, or woolly hairs.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of the Oregon woollyhead are long and narrow. They can be shaped like a line or a spear. Each leaf grows up to 2 centimeters long. The plant's flowers grow in a special cluster. This cluster is called an inflorescence. It forms a small, round flower head.

The flower head is about half a centimeter wide. It looks like a tiny ball of wool. Inside this head are many small, woolly disc flowers. These tiny flowers are surrounded by leaf-like parts called bracts. However, it does not have another type of bract called phyllaries. Each tiny flower has a scale covering it. This scale is very woolly with long, white fibers. This makes the whole flower head look like it's made of cotton.