Sticky monkeyflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sticky monkeyflower |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Diplacus
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| Species: |
viscidus
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| Synonyms | |
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The sticky monkeyflower (scientific name: Diplacus viscidus) is a type of monkeyflower. It gets its common name because its stems and leaves can feel a bit sticky!
Where Does the Sticky Monkeyflower Grow?
The sticky monkeyflower only grows in a special part of the world: the western Sierra Nevada foothills in California. When a plant or animal only lives in one specific area, we say it is endemic to that place.
You can often find this plant growing in places where the ground has been disturbed. This includes areas that have recently had a wildfire. It likes open, bare spots.
What Does It Look Like?
The sticky monkeyflower is a plant that grows for just one year. It's called an annual herb. It can be anywhere from 2 to 37 centimeters tall, which is like the length of a small ruler up to a bit more than a foot.
Its leaves are shaped like ovals or long ovals and can grow up to 4.5 centimeters long. The base of each flower is covered by a puffy, ribbed cup called a calyx. This calyx is made of hairy sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the flower bud. These sepals have pointy tips.
The flower itself is about one to two centimeters long. It can be lavender or a bright pink-purple color. Inside the flower's opening, which is a bit hairy, you can see yellow stripes and darker spots.
