White blue-eyed Mary facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White blue-eyed Mary |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Collinsia
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| Species: |
bartsiifolia
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Collinsia bartsiifolia, also known as white blue-eyed Mary, is a pretty flowering plant. It belongs to the plantain family. This plant is special because it only grows in California, USA. You can find it in many different places there, like mountains and deserts.
Contents
What is White Blue-Eyed Mary?
White blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia bartsiifolia) is a small plant that lives for only one year. This means it sprouts from a seed, grows, flowers, makes new seeds, and then dies, all within a single year. It is a type of herb, which means it has soft, green stems instead of woody ones like trees.
Where Does it Grow?
This plant is found only in California. When a plant or animal is found only in one specific place, it is called endemic. White blue-eyed Mary grows in many different parts of California. You can spot it in mountain ranges and even in desert areas. It likes various types of natural homes, called habitats.
What Does it Look Like?
The Collinsia bartsiifolia plant usually has a thin stem. This stem can grow up to about 35 centimeters tall, which is about the length of a standard ruler. The stem often feels a bit hairy.
Leaves and Flowers
Along the stem, you will find a few leaves. These leaves are thick and shaped like a narrow oval. Their edges might be slightly curled under.
The flowers grow in groups along the stem. They appear in a series of rings or "whorls" that are spaced out. Each flower can be different colors, from white to light purple or even a darker purple. Sometimes, a single flower might have two colors! The flowers are often shaped like a pouch and are folded. They have two top parts that look like they have tiny teeth, and three lower parts that have small notches.
