California vervain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids California vervain |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Verbena
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| Species: |
californica
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The California vervain (Verbena californica) is a special and rare type of flower. It is also called the Red Hills vervain. This plant is only found in one small area of the world. This means it is endemic to that place.
It grows only in Tuolumne County, California. You can find it in the Red Hills, which are part of the Sierra Nevada foothills. This area is near a town called Chinese Camp. The California vervain likes to grow in damp, wooded areas. It often grows in a special kind of soil called serpentine soil. Because it is so rare, the United States government has listed it as a threatened species. This means it needs protection to survive.
What Does It Look Like?
The California vervain is a green plant that grows to be about half a meter tall. That's about the height of a small dog! It has a stem that feels soft and fuzzy. Its leaves are long and look like grass.
This plant also has beautiful, tiny purple flowers. These flowers grow in a cluster that looks like a spike. This type of flower cluster is called a spike inflorescence.
Where Does It Grow?
This unique plant is found in only ten or eleven spots. All these spots are in the Red Hills area of Tuolumne County, California. This small area is part of the Sierra Nevada foothills. The plant prefers moist, wooded places. It often grows in a specific type of ground known as serpentine soil.
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Why Is It Rare?
The California vervain is a very rare plant. Many things threaten its survival. One problem is cattle grazing. This is when cows eat the plants. People also sometimes dump trash in its habitat.
Other threats include gold mining and off-road vehicles. These activities can damage the places where the plant grows. New buildings and other developments also take away its natural home. All these things make it harder for the California vervain to thrive.
How It Reproduces
This plant has a special way of making new plants. It can reproduce asexually. This means it does not need seeds or another plant to make new ones. Instead, it sprouts new plants from an underground bulb. A bulb is like a small, round storage part of the plant, similar to an onion.
This special way of reproducing might be one reason why the plant is only found in a few places. It may not spread easily to new areas.
See also
In Spanish: Verbena californica para niños
