Slender woollyheads facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Slender woollyheads |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Psilocarphus
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P. tenellus
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| Psilocarphus tenellus Nutt.
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Psilocarphus tenellus is a small flowering plant that belongs to the aster family. People often call it slender woollyheads or slender woolly marbles because of its fuzzy look. This plant grows naturally in western North America. You can find it from southwestern British Columbia all the way down to Baja California. It likes to grow in places that get wet at certain times of the year, like vernal pools, or near the coast and in areas where the ground has been disturbed.
Contents
What Does Slender Woollyheads Look Like?
This plant is a small annual herb, which means it lives for only one growing season. It grows several stems that are just a few centimeters long. These stems are covered in soft, woolly fibers, making them feel fuzzy.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of the slender woollyheads are shaped like a spear or are somewhat oval. They are quite small, usually less than 2 centimeters long. The plant's flowers grow in a special cluster called a flower head. This head is round and very tiny, less than half a centimeter wide.
The flower head is made up of many tiny, fuzzy disc flowers. These small flowers are surrounded by leaf-like parts called bracts. Each tiny flower is covered in a scale that is very woolly with long, white fibers. This makes the whole flower head look like a small cotton ball as it grows.
Where Slender Woollyheads Grow
This plant is found in many parts of western North America. It prefers specific types of places to live.
Habitats of Slender Woollyheads
Slender woollyheads often grow in areas that are wet during certain seasons, like vernal pools. These are temporary pools of water that form in spring and then dry up. The plant also likes coastal areas and places where the ground has been disturbed, such as along roadsides or in fields.
