Brewer's jewelflower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brewer's jewelflower |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Streptanthus
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| Species: |
breweri
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The Streptanthus breweri, also known as Brewer's Jewelflower, is a type of flowering plant in the mustard family. This special plant is found only in California. It grows in the state's coastal mountain ranges, from the Klamath Mountains down to the San Francisco Bay Area.
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What is Brewer's Jewelflower?
Brewer's Jewelflower is an annual plant. This means it grows, flowers, and produces seeds all within one year. It can grow quite tall, sometimes reaching about 80 centimeters (about 31 inches) high. Its stem stands straight up and has many branches. The plant usually feels smooth and might even have a waxy texture.
Where Does It Grow?
You can find Brewer's Jewelflower in specific natural areas. It likes to grow in chaparral and woodlands. These are places with shrubs and trees. It especially prefers soils that are rich in serpentine, a type of rock.
What Does It Look Like?
The leaves at the bottom of the plant are oval-shaped and have stalks. Higher up on the stem, the leaves are shaped like a spearhead. These upper leaves wrap around the stem at their bases.
The flowers grow along the top part of the stem. Sometimes they appear in a zig-zag pattern on one side. Each flower has a cup-shaped outer part called a calyx. This calyx is made of greenish or purplish sepals, which are less than a centimeter long. White, purple, or white petals with purple veins peek out from the top of the calyx.
After the flowers bloom, the plant produces a long, narrow, and curved seed pod. This pod, called a silique, can be quite long, measuring about 9 to 11 centimeters (3.5 to 4.3 inches).
A Clever Disguise: Tricking Butterflies
Sometimes, the leaves of Brewer's Jewelflower have hard, orange-colored bumps. Scientists believe these bumps are a clever trick! They look a lot like the eggs of the California White butterfly (Pontia sisymbrii).
Female California White butterflies lay their eggs on Streptanthus leaves. They prefer leaves that don't already have eggs on them. This is because a single caterpillar can eat an entire plant! The butterfly "checks" the leaf to see how many eggs are already there. This helps them avoid too much competition for their young.
Leaves that have these orange bumps are less likely to be chosen by egg-laying butterflies. By looking like they already have eggs, the plant protects itself from being eaten by hungry caterpillars. It's a smart way for the plant to survive!
