Common Townsend daisy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Common Townsend daisy |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Townsendia (plant)
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| Species: |
leptotes
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| Synonyms | |
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The Townsendia leptotes is a pretty flowering plant. It is also known as the common Townsend daisy or slender townsendia. This plant belongs to the aster family, which includes daisies and sunflowers.
Contents
Discovering the Common Townsend Daisy
Where Does It Grow?
This plant grows naturally in the western United States. You can find it in high mountain areas. It likes alpine climates, which are very cold and windy. It grows from California all the way to Montana and New Mexico.
What Does It Look Like?
The common Townsend daisy is a small plant. It is a perennial, meaning it lives for more than two years. It grows in small clumps, only a few centimeters tall. Its leaves are about 1 to 2 centimeters long. They are thin or shaped like a spear. The leaves also have rough hairs on them.
Its Flowers
This plant has many beautiful flower heads. Each flower head is about 1 to 2 centimeters wide. They have small, leaf-like parts called phyllaries around them. These can be hairy or smooth. Each head usually has many yellow disc florets in the center. It also has many ray florets around the edge. These ray florets can be white, pink, or blue. They are about one centimeter long. Sometimes, a flower head might not have any yellow disc florets.
Its Fruit
After the flowers bloom, the plant makes a small, dry fruit. This fruit is called an achene. It is smooth and has no hairs. At the top of the achene, there is a feathery tuft. This tuft is called a pappus and helps the seeds spread.
