Purple fleabane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Purple fleabane |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Erigeron
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| Species: |
purpuratus
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| Synonyms | |
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Synonymy
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The Erigeron purpuratus is a type of flowering plant. It is often called the purple fleabane. This plant belongs to the daisy family. You can find it growing in North America, specifically in Alaska (part of the United States) and Yukon (part of Canada).
Contents
Discovering the Purple Fleabane
What is the Purple Fleabane?
The purple fleabane is a perennial herb. This means it is a plant that lives for more than two years. It can grow up to 14 centimeters (about 5.6 inches) tall. That's about the length of a pencil!
How Does It Grow?
This plant has a special part called a caudex. A caudex is a thick, woody stem base. It helps the plant spread out and form new plants that are clones of the original. This way, one plant can create a whole group of plants!
Its Unique Flowers
Each stem of the purple fleabane usually has only one flower head. The small leaves around the flower head, called bracts, often look purple. Each flower head is quite pretty. It has 40 to 90 ray florets. These are like the "petals" you see on a daisy. They can be purple, pink, or white. In the center, there are many yellow disc florets. These are the tiny flowers that make up the middle part of the flower head.
Where Does This Plant Live?
The purple fleabane likes to grow in specific places. You can find it on beaches and along gravel bars. It also grows in alpine tundra. This is a very cold, treeless area found at high elevations or in polar regions.
