Thompson's pincushion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thompson's pincushion |
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C. thompsonii
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| Chaenactis thompsonii Cronquist
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Thompson's pincushion (scientific name: Chaenactis thompsonii) is a special kind of flowering plant found only in North America. It belongs to the aster family, which includes many well-known flowers like daisies and sunflowers. This plant is quite rare! You can only find it growing in the northern Cascades mountains in the State of Washington, USA.
Discovering Thompson's Pincushion
Thompson's pincushion is a unique plant. It was officially described and named in 1955 by a famous botanist named Arthur Cronquist. He gave it the scientific name Chaenactis thompsonii.
What Does Thompson's Pincushion Look Like?
This plant is a perennial. This means it lives for more than two years, often coming back each spring. It can grow up to 30 centimeters (about 12 inches) tall. That's about the length of a school ruler!
Thompson's pincushion usually grows as a single plant. It does not spread out to form big clumps or mats on the ground. Each of its branches can have one to three flower heads. These flower heads are made up of many tiny flowers.
Flower Details
The flowers of Thompson's pincushion are white or a pale lavender color. These tiny flowers are called disc florets. Unlike some other plants in the aster family, Thompson's pincushion does not have ray florets. Ray florets are the petal-like parts you see on a daisy, like the white "petals" around the yellow center. Thompson's pincushion only has the disc florets, making its flower heads look a bit like a small, fluffy pincushion!
