Roundleaf ragwort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roundleaf ragwort |
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The Packera obovata, also known as the roundleaf ragwort or spoon-leaved ragwort, is a plant that grows upright. It is a perennial herb, meaning it lives for more than two years and has soft stems. This plant is native to Eastern North America. It used to be called Senecio obovatus. Its lower leaves are shaped like an oval or a spoon with jagged edges. The leaves higher up on the stem are divided into smaller parts. The flowers have yellow "petals" (ray flowers) and orange-yellow centers (disk flowers). The flowers grow tall, above the leaves.
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What Does Roundleaf Ragwort Look Like?
The roundleaf ragwort is a plant that stands tall, growing up to about 2 feet (60 cm) high. It has many thin roots and a group of leaves at its base. This group of leaves can spread out to about 1 foot (30 cm) wide.
Leaves and Stems
The leaves are a medium green color and feel smooth because they don't have hairs. They can be round, oval, or shaped like a spoon. Their edges are wavy and have small teeth. The stems that hold the leaves are usually the same length as the leaves themselves. These stems can be green or a bit purplish and are mostly smooth. Some might have slight wings or a few fuzzy parts.
The main flower stalk might also be a little fuzzy near the bottom. It has two or three leaves that are divided into uneven sections. At the very top of this stalk is a flat-topped cluster of flowers.
Flowers and Seeds
Each individual flower head in the cluster can be up to about 0.75 inches (2 cm) wide. Around the flower head, there is a single row of thin, green leaf-like parts called bracts. Inside, there are usually 8 to 16 bright yellow ray-florets, which look like petals. In the very center, there is a small mound of orange-yellow disk florets.
After the flowers bloom, they turn into small, brown achenes. These are a type of dry fruit that contains a single seed. Each seed has a tuft of white, fluffy hairs. The wind helps to carry these seeds away, spreading them to new places. The plant can also grow new plants from underground stems, called stolons or rhizomes.
Where Does Roundleaf Ragwort Grow?
The roundleaf ragwort is originally from northern Mexico, the eastern United States, and southeastern Canada. You can find it from the state of Coahuila in Mexico all the way up to Quebec and Ontario in Canada. It is most commonly found in the warmer, southern parts of this area.
Favorite Places to Live
This plant likes to grow in places where the soil is moist but also drains water well. It prefers soils that have a lot of calcium, like limestone. You can often spot it on wooded hillsides and in rocky areas. It grows best in places that are shady or partly shady, where it doesn't get too much direct sunlight.
How Roundleaf Ragwort Interacts with Nature
The flowers of the roundleaf ragwort are very popular with different kinds of insects. Many types of cuckoo bees, halictid bees, and andrenid bees visit the flowers. You might also see hoverflies, tachinid flies, and various kinds of beetles buzzing around them. These insects help to pollinate the plant.
Plant Eaters
The caterpillars of the northern metalmark butterfly (Calephelis borealis) enjoy eating the leaves of the roundleaf ragwort. Also, a type of insect called the white-crossed seed bug (Neacoryphus bicrucis) feeds on the plant's seeds.
Like many plants in the ragwort family, this plant can be harmful if many animals eat it. It contains substances that are toxic to most plant-eating mammals. However, sheep seem to be able to eat it without as many problems as other grazing animals.
