Manynerve catchfly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Manynerve catchfly |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Silene
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| Species: |
multinervia
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The Silene multinervia is a cool flowering plant. People often call it the manynerve catchfly. It belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family, which also includes carnations!
Meet the Manynerve Catchfly
This plant is an annual herb. This means it grows, flowers, and produces seeds all in one year. It can grow quite tall, reaching up to about 65 centimeters (that's almost 2 feet!). Its stem is covered in tiny hairs and can feel a bit sticky. It stands straight up, reaching for the sun.
Where it Lives
The manynerve catchfly is native to California and Baja California in North America. You can find it growing in coastal hills and mountain ranges. It loves places like chaparral, which is a type of shrubland with tough, drought-resistant plants.
What it Looks Like
The leaves of this plant are shaped like a spearhead, or "lance-shaped." The biggest leaves, which can be up to 10 centimeters long, grow lower down on the stem. Smaller leaves are found higher up.
Its flowers grow in clusters at the very top of the stem. Some flowers also grow where the leaves meet the stem. Each flower has a fuzzy outer layer called a calyx. This calyx is special because it has many veins, more than the 10 veins usually found in other Silene plants. That's why it's called the "manynerve" catchfly! The flowers themselves have five petals. These petals are usually white or light pink and have small notches at their tips.
Surviving Wildfires
Like many plants that live in chaparral areas, the manynerve catchfly is very good at surviving wildfires. These areas often have natural fires. The plant has a special trick: its seeds are super smart! They need to be exposed to smoke to germinate, or sprout. This means after a fire clears out old plants, the smoke helps new manynerve catchfly plants start growing. It's a clever way to make sure the species continues to thrive!
