Tetraneuris scaposa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tetraneuris scaposa |
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Tetraneuris
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T. scaposa
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| Tetraneuris scaposa (DC.) Greene 1898
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The Tetraneuris scaposa is a cool plant often called the stemmy four-nerve daisy or stemmy hymenoxys. It's part of the big sunflower family. This plant grows naturally in North America.
You can find Tetraneuris scaposa in the southwestern and south-central parts of the United States. This includes states like Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. It also grows south of the border in northern Mexico, in states like Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, and Zacatecas.
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Meet the Stemmy Four-Nerve Daisy
What It Looks Like
The Tetraneuris scaposa is a perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years, and its stems are not woody like a tree. It can grow up to about 40 centimeters (or 16 inches) tall.
This plant has a special underground part called a caudex. Think of it like a thick, woody base that stays hidden in the soil. From this caudex, the plant can send up many stems, sometimes even as many as 100!
Flowers and Leaves
The leaves of the stemmy four-nerve daisy are mostly found low down on the plant, close to the ground. The flowers are quite interesting. Each stem can have one flower head, or the flower heads can grow together in tight groups.
Each flower head is like a mini-sun. It has two main parts:
- Ray flowers: These are the "petals" that stick out from the center, like the rays of the sun. There are usually 12 to 26 of these.
- Disc flowers: These are the tiny flowers packed tightly in the center of the head. There can be anywhere from 25 to 180 of these small flowers!
Traditional Uses
A Special Eyewash
For a long time, the Zuni people, a Native American tribe, have used this plant in their traditions. They make a special liquid called an infusion from the Tetraneuris scaposa. An infusion is like a strong tea made by soaking the plant in hot water.
The Zuni people use this infusion as an eyewash. They believe it can help with eye problems. However, they also have a belief that this eyewash should not be used by people who are not kind or have bad intentions. It's a reminder that traditional medicines often come with special rules and beliefs about who should use them.
