San Diego County sunflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Diego County sunflower |
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| Scientific classification | |
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| Genus: |
Bahiopsis
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| Species: |
B. laciniata
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| Binomial name | |
| Bahiopsis laciniata (A.Gray) E.E.Schill. & Panero
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| Synonyms | |
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Viguiera laciniata A.Gray |
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The San Diego County sunflower (Bahiopsis laciniata) is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the aster family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers. This plant is known by a few other names too, like San Diego viguiera and tornleaf goldeneye.
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About the San Diego County Sunflower
This plant is a type of shrub. It grows in dry areas and on mountain slopes. You can find it in parts of northwestern Mexico, like the states of Sonora and Baja California. It also grows north into California, reaching as far as Ventura County.
Where It Lives
The San Diego County sunflower likes specific types of places. It often grows in areas called chaparral. Chaparral is a kind of shrubland with tough, woody plants. It also lives in coastal sage scrub areas. These are dry lands near the coast with many aromatic plants.
What It Looks Like
The San Diego County sunflower is a shrub that can grow quite tall. It can reach over one meter (about three feet) in height. The plant feels hairy to the touch. It also has a sticky, shiny substance called resin on it.
Leaves and Stems
The leaves of this plant are shaped like a spearhead. They can be up to 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) long. These leaves are covered in tiny glands. These glands make the leaves look shiny because of the resin. The edges of the leaves can be smooth or have small teeth. Sometimes, the edges might be curled under or look crinkled.
Flowers and Seeds
The plant produces flowers that look like small sunflowers. Each flower is a single flower head or a cluster of several heads. These flower heads have several bright yellow petals, called ray florets. Each ray floret can be from 6 millimeters to over a centimeter long. After the flowers bloom, they produce a type of fruit called an achene. An achene is a small, dry fruit that contains a single seed. The achene has a feathery top called a pappus. This pappus helps the seeds float away in the wind.
