Western hound's tongue facts for kids

Andersonglossum occidentale is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the borage family. People often call it the western hound's tongue.

You can find this plant growing naturally in Oregon and northern California. It likes to live in forests with cone-bearing trees. These include places like the Cascade Range, Klamath Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada.

What Does Western Hound's Tongue Look Like?

The western hound's tongue is a plant that lives for many years. It has stems that feel hairy. These stems can grow to be about half a meter tall.

Leaves and Stems

The leaves of this plant are rough and also hairy. They can grow up to 15 centimeters long and four centimeters wide. The leaves have special stalks called winged petioles. These stalks help connect the leaf to the main stem.

Flowers and Fruits

At the top of the leafy stem, you will see a group of flowers. This group is called an inflorescence. The flowers are shaped like tubes and are reddish-purple in color. Each flower is about one centimeter long.

After the flowers, the plant grows fruits. These fruits are small and bumpy. They are called nutlets. Each nutlet is covered in tiny bristles. The plant usually grows four of these nutlets together in a small cluster.