Mono ragwort facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mono ragwort |
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| Senecio pattersonensis specimen | |
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The Senecio pattersonensis is a special kind of flowering plant. It's part of the aster family, which includes daisies and sunflowers! People often call it the Mono ragwort or Mount Patterson senecio. It's quite rare to find.
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Where the Mono Ragwort Grows
This plant is found only in a specific area, meaning it is endemic to that place. It lives in eastern California, in a county called Mono County. You can spot it high up in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Its Mountain Home
The Mono ragwort loves rocky, high-altitude places. It grows at elevations between 3,000 and 3,700 meters (about 9,800 to 12,100 feet) above sea level. This kind of environment is called an alpine climate, which means it's very cold and windy. You might find it growing on talus (slopes covered in broken rocks) or in fellfields (rocky areas with sparse plants).
Named After a Mountain
This plant gets its name from Mount Patterson. This mountain is the tallest peak in the rugged Sweetwater Mountains, which are part of the Sierra Nevada range in Mono County.
What the Mono Ragwort Looks Like
The Senecio pattersonensis is a small plant. It's a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years and doesn't have a woody stem. It usually grows one to three stems from a special underground stem called a rhizome. The whole plant is usually less than ten centimeters (about four inches) tall.
Leaves and Stems
The plant's stems and leaves are smooth, without any hairs. They can be green or even a bit red. The leaves are thick and often feel a bit fleshy, like they hold water. They are usually 2 to 4 centimeters (about 1 to 1.5 inches) long. Their shape is narrow, like a line or a spear, and sometimes their edges are wavy or divided into small sections called lobes.
Flowers and Blooming Time
The plant produces one to four flower heads. Each flower head has bright yellow disc florets in the center. It also usually has 8 ray florets, which are like the "petals" you see on a daisy. These ray florets are about one half to one centimeter long. The Mono ragwort blooms during the summer, typically from July to August.
