Smallflower nemophila facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smallflower nemophila |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| var. parviflora | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Nemophila
|
| Species: |
parviflora
|
The Nemophila parviflora, also known as the smallflower nemophila or oak-leaved nemophila, is a lovely plant. It belongs to the borage family, called Boraginaceae. This family includes many plants with hairy leaves and flowers that often have five petals.
This plant grows naturally in western North America. You can find it in forests and woodlands from California all the way up to British Columbia and Utah. It likes areas that are not too high up in the mountains.
Meet the Smallflower Nemophila
The smallflower nemophila is an annual herb. This means it grows from a seed, blooms, produces new seeds, and then dies all within one year. It usually appears in the spring.
Its flowers are shaped like small bowls. They can be white or a light purple color. Each flower grows by itself from where a leaf meets the stem. These tiny flowers are usually less than 5 millimeters wide.
The leaves of the plant are also quite small. They are about 10 to 35 millimeters long and 8 to 25 millimeters wide. Each leaf has two pairs of rounded parts, like small bumps on the sides.
After the flower blooms, it forms a fruit that looks like a small capsule. Inside this capsule, there is usually just one seed. This seed will grow into a new plant the next year.
Different Kinds of Smallflower Nemophila
Even though they are all Nemophila parviflora, there are a few slightly different types, called varieties. These include:
- Nemophila parviflora var. austiniae
- Nemophila parviflora var. parviflora
- Nemophila parviflora var. quercifolia
