San Diego mesa mint facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Diego mesa mint |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pogogyne
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| Species: |
abramsii
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The San Diego mesa mint (scientific name: Pogogyne abramsii) is a very rare flowering plant. It belongs to the mint family. This special plant has a strong minty smell.
Contents
Where the San Diego Mesa Mint Lives
The San Diego mesa mint grows only in San Diego County, California. This means it is endemic to that area. You can find it in a few spots, mostly around San Diego city and its nearby towns.
What are Vernal Pools?
This plant loves to grow near vernal pools. These are special puddles that fill up with water in the rainy season. They dry out completely when the weather gets warm. Many unique plants and animals live only in these pools.
Why This Plant is Endangered
A big part of where this plant lives is on the land of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Since 1978, the San Diego mesa mint has been listed as an endangered species. This means there are very few of them left in the wild. They need special protection to keep them from disappearing forever.
What the San Diego Mesa Mint Looks Like
The San Diego mesa mint is a small plant. It grows new stems every year, so it is called an annual herb. The plant is covered in tiny hairs and smells like mint.
Flowers and Leaves
Its stems grow straight up and have small, pretty flowers at the top. These flowers grow in a cluster called an inflorescence. Around the flowers, there are purple-green leaves called bracts. The flowers themselves are bell-shaped and about one centimeter long. They are pinkish-purple with a white center that has purple spots.
How the Plant Gets Pollinated
Bees help this plant make seeds. This process is called pollination. Several types of bees visit the San Diego mesa mint. These include honey bees and other native bees like Exomalopsis nitens. A type of fly called a bee fly also helps.
Who is LeRoy Abrams?
The second part of the plant's scientific name, abramsii, honors a person. It is named after LeRoy Abrams. He was a famous botanist who studied plants.
Images for kids
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A close-up of the San Diego mesa mint flowers.
