Lake Tahoe serpentweed facts for kids

Tonestus eximius is a special kind of flowering plant. It is part of the aster family, which includes many well-known flowers like sunflowers and daisies. This plant is often called Lake Tahoe serpentweed or Tahoe tonestus. It grows only in a specific, beautiful part of the world near Lake Tahoe.

Where Does the Tahoe Tonestus Live?

This unique plant is native to the High Sierra Nevada mountains. It is found only around Lake Tahoe, which sits on the border between California and Nevada.

Mountain Home

The Tahoe tonestus loves to grow in high mountain areas. These places are called alpine and subalpine habitats. This means it lives where the weather is often cold and windy, and the growing season is short.

What Does the Tahoe Tonestus Look Like?

The Tahoe tonestus is a small plant. It grows in clumps and is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years and does not have a woody stem like a tree.

Size and Stems

This plant usually grows up to 13 centimeters tall. That is about the length of a pen! Its stems are thick and do not have hairs. They also feel a bit sticky because they are glandular. The lower parts of the stems are covered by old, dried leaf bases from past years.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of the Tahoe tonestus are about 3 to 5 centimeters long. They have small teeth or jagged edges. The plant produces one or a few flower heads together. Each flower head is about 1 to 1.5 centimeters wide.

Bright Yellow Blooms

The flower heads have green phyllaries, which are like small leaves around the base of the flower. Each head has at least 10 bright yellow ray florets. These are the petal-like parts you see on the outside. In the center, there are many tiny, tube-shaped disc florets.