Wilhelmsia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wilhelmsia |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Wilhelmsia
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| Species: |
physodes
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| Synonyms | |
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The Wilhelmsia is a special type of plant. It belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family, which is also known as the carnation or pink family. This plant group has only one species, called Wilhelmsia physodes.
You can find Wilhelmsia physodes growing in cold northern places. It lives in Alaska and parts of northern Canada, like Yukon and the Northwest Territories. It also grows in Russia.
What is Wilhelmsia Physodes?
Wilhelmsia physodes is a unique plant. It stands out in its family because of its large, puffy seed pod. This pod starts as an ovary (the part of a flower that holds the seeds). It grows into a round, purple capsule. This capsule can be up to 10 millimeters (about 0.4 inches) wide.
How Does it Look?
The capsule is partly divided inside. It has three sections, and each section has two small "teeth" on the outside.
This plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years and has soft, non-woody stems. It spreads using underground stems called rhizomes. These rhizomes help new plants grow nearby.
Most of the plant's stems lie flat on the ground. However, the stem that holds the flowers stands straight up. Its leaves can grow up to 15 millimeters long. The sepals (the leaf-like parts that protect the flower bud) are green with a hint of purple. The petals of the flower are white.
