Symphyotrichum simmondsii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Symphyotrichum simmondsii |
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Symphyotrichum simmondsii, also known as Simmonds' aster, is a beautiful flowering plant. It belongs to the aster family, which is a large group of plants known for their unique flowers. This plant is special because it is endemic to the southeastern United States. This means it naturally grows only in that specific area and nowhere else in the world!
Simmonds' aster is a perennial plant, which means it lives for more than two years. It grows from long underground stems called rhizomes, forming new plants and spreading out. These plants can grow to be quite tall, from 10 cm (4 in) (about 4 inches) up to 120 cm (4 ft) (nearly 4 feet) high.
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Simmonds' Aster: A Special Flower
Like all plants in the aster family, Simmonds' aster has what looks like one big flower, but it's actually made of many tiny flowers grouped together. This is called a flower head. Each flower head is a mix of two kinds of tiny flowers called florets.
What Does It Look Like?
The outer part of the flower head has what look like petals. These are called ray florets. Simmonds' aster usually has about 18 to 38 of these ray florets. They can be a pale lavender, lilac, or light purple color.
In the center of the flower head are many tiny disk florets. When they first open, these disk florets are yellow. As they get older, they change color and become reddish. There are usually about 24 to 37 disk florets in each flower head, and each one has five small lobes.
Where Does It Grow?
Symphyotrichum simmondsii likes to grow in places that are either moist or dry. You can find it at lower elevations, usually up to 50 meters (164 feet) (about 164 feet) above sea level. It is mostly found in the southeastern United States, especially in peninsular Florida.
Its Tiny Building Blocks
Inside every living thing, there are tiny structures called chromosomes that carry all the genetic information. Symphyotrichum simmondsii has a special number of these chromosomes. Each of its cells contains 64 chromosomes.
