Cardinal Feather
探検植物
Cardinal Feather
acalypha radians
Cardinal Feather (Acalypha radians) is a fascinating, low-growing perennial herb native to the sandy soils of the southern United States and northern Mexico. Known for its striking, fuzzy red flower spikes that resemble bright cardinal feathers, this resilient plant brings a splash of vivid color to arid landscapes. It belongs to the Euphorbiaceae, or spurge family, which is famous for its diverse and often unusual plant forms. In the wild, Cardinal Feather serves as an important stabilizer for loose, sandy soils, utilizing its deep taproot to anchor itself against shifting dunes. It is highly adapted to drought and heat, thriving in environments where many other plants would quickly wither. This makes it a key ecological player in sand-prairie ecosystems, offering shelter to ground-dwelling insects and helping to prevent wind erosion.
生息地: Found in open sandy prairies, coastal dunes, and dry oak woodlands, often flourishing in loose, nutrient-poor soils.
外見
This plant is easily recognized by its spreading, low-profile growth habit, typically reaching 10 to 40 centimeters in height. Its stems are covered in fine, grayish hairs and support small, rounded to fan-shaped leaves with distinctively scalloped edges. The most prominent feature is the bright crimson or deep pink female flower spikes, which are dense, cylindrical, and covered in soft, thread-like structures that give them a furry, feather-like texture.
界Plantae門Tracheophyta綱Magnoliopsida目Malpighiales科Euphorbiaceae属Acalypha
カテゴリ
植物レア度
Common
危険度
1/5 · 非常に低い
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おもしろい事実
Cardinal Feather is a pioneer species, meaning it is one of the first plants to colonize and help stabilize disturbed sandy soils and dunes.
Despite looking like a soft, pet-able feather, the red spikes are actually complex structures of female flowers waiting to catch pollen.
The genus name Acalypha is derived from the ancient Greek word for nettle, due to the similar nettle-like shape of the leaves in some species.
特殊能力
能力
Deep Anchor Taproot
Develops an exceptionally long and robust taproot that reaches deep water tables and stabilizes the plant in shifting sands.
能力
Glandular Hair Barrier
Stems and leaves are covered in dense glandular hairs that reduce moisture loss and deter crawling insect pests.
能力
Pistillate Wind Traps
The bright red, fuzzy pistils are feather-like to efficiently capture wind-blown pollen across open, breezy habitats.
サイズと詳細
- 長さ
- 10+ cm
- 寿命
- 3+ 年
食性と食事
As a photosynthetic plant, Cardinal Feather generates its own energy using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
主な食物
- Sunlight
- Water
- Carbon dioxide
- Soil minerals
採餌方法
- Photosynthesis
生態系とのつながり
eaten by
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Provides occasional browse for deer in sandy rangelands.
competitor
Sandbur
Cenchrus spinifex
Competes directly for nutrients and water in sandy soils.
mutualism
Sweat Bee
Lasioglossum sp.
Native bees visit the flowers to collect pollen.
特徴
このオブジェクトにはまだ特徴バッジが割り当てられていません。
別名
まだ別名はありません。
コレクション
テーマが追加されると、このオブジェクトのコレクションがここに表示されます。
安全性
危険度
1/5 · 非常に低い
まだ特別な安全上の注意はありません。
よくある質問
Cardinal Featherを見分けるには？
Cardinal Featherを識別する最も簡単な方法は、Snappit自然識別アプリを使用することです。
Cardinal Featherの長さは何ですか？
10+ cm
Cardinal Featherの寿命は何ですか？
3+ 年
Cardinal Featherは何を食べますか？
As a photosynthetic plant, Cardinal Feather generates its own energy using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
Cardinal Featherは通常どこに生息していますか？
Found in open sandy prairies, coastal dunes, and dry oak woodlands, often flourishing in loose, nutrient-poor soils.
Cardinal Featherはどのように狩りをしますか？
Photosynthesis
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