Twisselmann's threadplant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Twisselmann's threadplant |
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| Conservation status | |
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Nemacladus
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N. twisselmannii
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| Nemacladus twisselmannii J.T.Howell
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Nemacladus twisselmannii is a very rare flowering plant. People also call it Twisselmann's threadplant or Twisselmann's nemacladus. It belongs to the bellflower family. This plant grows only in California, which means it is endemic there. You can find it in just two places in the Sierra Nevada mountains. One spot is in Kern County, and the other is in Tulare County.
What it Looks Like
This plant is a small annual herb. This means it lives for only one year. It grows very low to the ground, like a small cushion. Its stems are super short, less than a centimeter long.
The leaves are spoon-shaped and have tiny hairs. They are only about 2 to 3 millimeters long. The flowers grow in a cluster that looks like a small head. Each flower sits on a very thin, hair-like stalk.
Each flower has small, hairy parts called sepals, which are about 1 millimeter long. The main part of the flower, called the corolla, is white and up to 3 millimeters long. After the flower blooms, it forms a tiny fruit. This fruit is a small capsule with a rounded bottom and a pointy top.
Where it Lives
Twisselmann's threadplant grows in coniferous forests. These are forests with trees like pines and firs. It likes areas with granite rocks and sand. This plant grows at high elevations, over 7,000 feet (about 2,130 meters) above sea level.
There are only two groups of these plants known to exist. Each group has about 400 plants. Both groups are found in a wild, remote area. This area is inside the Sequoia National Forest.
Who it's Named After
This special plant is named after Ernest Christian Twisselmann. He was a cattle rancher and a botanist. A botanist is someone who studies plants. Ernest Christian Twisselmann lived in the Central Valley of California.
