Triteleia laxa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Triteleia laxa |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Brodiaeoideae |
| Genus: | Triteleia |
| Species: |
T. laxa
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| Binomial name | |
| Triteleia laxa |
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Triteleia laxa is a beautiful wildflower. It is also known by fun names like Ithuriel's spear and grassnut. This plant grows naturally in California and sometimes in southwestern Oregon.
This plant has a tall, bare stem. At the top, you'll find a spray of smaller stalks. Each stalk holds a lovely purple or blue flower. The flower starts as a tube and then opens into a star shape with six sharp points.
The Triteleia laxa grows from a special underground part called a corm. A corm is like a bulb, and it's edible! It tastes a bit like a potato and can be used in similar ways.
The name "Ithuriel's spear" comes from a story. It refers to an angel named Ithuriel from a famous old poem called Paradise Lost by Milton.
What's in a Name?
The name Triteleia comes from an old Greek word. It means 'triplicate' or 'three times'. This is because the flower parts of the plant often come in groups of three.
The second part of the name, laxa, comes from Latin. It means 'open', 'loose', or 'spreading'. This describes how the flowers are arranged on the stem.
Images for kids
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A close-up of the Triteleia laxa flower.
 | Sharif Bey |
 | Hale Woodruff |
 | Richmond Barthé |
 | Purvis Young |
