Spectacle pod facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spectacle pod |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dimorphocarpa
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| Species: |
wislizeni
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| Synonyms | |
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Dithyrea griffithsii Woot. & Standl. |
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Dimorphocarpa wislizeni, often called spectacle pod, Wislizeni's spectaclepod, or touristplant, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the mustard family. This plant grows naturally in western North America. You can find it in the southwestern United States, including Oklahoma and Texas. It also grows in Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, and Coahuila in Mexico.
About Spectacle Pod
What It Looks Like
The spectacle pod is an annual herb. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces seeds, and then dies, all within one year. Its stem can be straight or have branches. It usually grows between 10 and 80 centimeters tall.
The leaves at the bottom of the plant are shaped like a spearhead. They might have jagged or rounded edges. Leaves higher up on the stem are thinner. Their edges are usually smoother.
The plant produces small, pretty flowers. Their petals are either white or a light lavender color. Each petal is about 4 to 8 millimeters long.
Its Unique Fruit
The most interesting part of this plant is its fruit. It's called a silicle, which is a type of seed pod. This pod is flat and has two distinct parts, making it look a bit like a pair of eyeglasses or "spectacles." That's how it got its common name!
When the fruit is ripe, it splits into two halves. Each half holds a flat, round seed. These seeds are quite small, only about 2 or 3 millimeters wide. This unique fruit makes the spectacle pod easy to spot.
Where It Grows
Spectacle pod plants prefer sandy soil. They often grow in areas with sandstone rocks. You can find them in different types of plant communities. These include desert shrubland, where many bushes grow. They also appear in pinyon-juniper forests. Sometimes, they grow among ponderosa pine trees.
How People Used It
The Zuni people, a Native American tribe, used the spectacle pod for traditional purposes. They would crush the plant and mix it with warm water. This mixture was then applied to swollen areas, especially on the throat.
They also made a special drink from the whole plant. This drink was given to people who were feeling confused or disoriented. Another use was for men to help them speak more freely.
Sometimes, the flowers and fruits were eaten. This was done to help with stomachaches, as it could make a person throw up and feel better.
