Arctomecon humilis
Encyclopedia
Arctomecon humilis is a rare species of poppy
called Bearclaw Poppy or Dwarf Bearclaw-poppy. It is endemic to Washington County, Utah
, in the United States
of America. It is a federally listed endangered species
limited to barren, heavily gypsiferous
soils in the immediate vicinity of St. George, Utah
. Only a half-dozen populations are known, several of which are adjacent to or even within the urbanized area.
A. humilis is a taproot
ed perennial herb producing stout, waxy stems that grow 15 to 25 centimeters tall. Waxy blue-green leaves with rounded teeth are located around the base of the plant. Each scape
-like stem has one or two ivory-white flower
s that have orange-yellow stamens. The ovoid shaped fruit
s produce up to 30 or sometimes more, shiny black seed
s.
It is pollinated by the rare solitary bee species Perdita meconis.
Papaveraceae
Papaveraceae, informally known as the poppy family, are an economically important family of 44 genera and approximately 770 species of flowering plants in the order Ranunculales. The family is cosmopolitan, occurring in temperate and subtropical climates, but almost unknown in the tropics...
called Bearclaw Poppy or Dwarf Bearclaw-poppy. It is endemic to Washington County, Utah
Washington County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 90,354 people, 29,939 households, and 23,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 36,478 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of America. It is a federally listed endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
limited to barren, heavily gypsiferous
Gypsum
Gypsum is a very soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. It is found in alabaster, a decorative stone used in Ancient Egypt. It is the second softest mineral on the Mohs Hardness Scale...
soils in the immediate vicinity of St. George, Utah
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
. Only a half-dozen populations are known, several of which are adjacent to or even within the urbanized area.
A. humilis is a taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
ed perennial herb producing stout, waxy stems that grow 15 to 25 centimeters tall. Waxy blue-green leaves with rounded teeth are located around the base of the plant. Each scape
Scape
In biology, the term scape may refer to:* The first segment of an insect antenna* A finger-like appendage of the epigyne of a female spider* Scape , a flowering stemScape may also refer to:...
-like stem has one or two ivory-white flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s that have orange-yellow stamens. The ovoid shaped fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s produce up to 30 or sometimes more, shiny black seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s.
It is pollinated by the rare solitary bee species Perdita meconis.