Round-headed Chinese houses facts for kids

Collinsia corymbosa is a special kind of flowering plant. People often call it the round-headed Chinese houses because of how its flowers look. It belongs to the plantain family.

This plant is only found in one specific place. It grows along the coast of California, just north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It's not very common there and can be found in scattered groups.

Where It Lives

Coastal Sand Dunes

This unique plant loves to live in the sand dunes right next to the ocean. It needs this sandy, coastal environment to grow well.

Plant Description

Life Cycle and Size

Collinsia corymbosa is an annual herb. This means it lives for only one year, growing from a seed, flowering, producing new seeds, and then dying. It's not a woody plant like a tree or bush.

Its stem can grow either straight up or lie along the ground. It usually reaches a length of about 25 centimeters (which is about 10 inches). The stem often looks a bit scaly and has tiny hairs. It can be red or reddish-green.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of this plant are thick and have a few hairs. Their edges are wavy or "lobed," meaning they have rounded sections. Sometimes, the edges of the leaves curl a little bit underneath.

The flowers of Collinsia corymbosa are quite special. They grow in a tight cluster, like a circle, at the top of the stem. Each flower has a fuzzy outer part called a calyx, which is made of reddish sepals (small leaf-like parts).

The main part of the flower, called the corolla, can be up to 2 centimeters long. It has two small parts at the top and three longer parts at the bottom. These bottom parts come together to form a shape that looks almost like a tube. The flowers are usually white with a light purple color. The smaller top parts of the flower curl back and turn brown as they get older.