Humboldt County milkvetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Humboldt County milkvetch |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Astragalus
|
| Species: |
agnicidus
|
The Humboldt County milkvetch (scientific name: Astragalus agnicidus) is a very rare plant. It's a type of milkvetch. This special plant grows only in northern California. You can find it in just a few spots in Humboldt County and Mendocino County.
Contents
A Plant's Surprising History
This plant wasn't officially named until the 1950s. Before that, it was only known from one ranch in Humboldt County. Ranchers there thought the plant was making their animals sick. They believed their sheep were eating it and getting ill. Because of this, the ranchers removed the plant from their land.
By 1957, when scientists officially described and named it, they thought it was extinct. The plant's scientific name, agnicidus, means "lamb-killer." This name shows what the ranchers believed about the plant.
Rediscovery and New Hope
Luckily, the Humboldt County milkvetch was found again in 1987. A few plants were discovered growing in a freshly cleared area. It seems that old seeds, buried deep in the soil, sprouted when the ground was disturbed. These new plants were then protected by the landowners. It was the same family who had once removed the plant, but they had changed their minds.
Since then, two more groups of these plants have been found. They were also in areas of coastal mountains that had recently been logged. This shows that the milkvetch is an early successional species. This means it often grows in places that have been disturbed. However, too much disturbance can be bad. It might make all the buried seeds sprout at once. This could leave the plant population without backup seeds, making it vulnerable.
What the Humboldt County Milkvetch Looks Like
The Humboldt County milkvetch is a perennial herb. This means it lives for several years, usually 5 to 10 years. Its stem is reddish and feels a bit rough. It can grow to be about 30 to 90 centimeters long. The stem is slightly hairy, especially near the ends.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves are spaced out along the stem. They grow in pairs on opposite sides. Each leaf can be up to 16 centimeters long. It is made up of several smaller, oval-shaped leaflets. These leaflets are about 2 centimeters long.
The plant produces a dense cluster of flowers. This cluster is called an inflorescence. It can have 10 to 40 white, pea-like flowers.
Reproduction and Fruit
The Humboldt County milkvetch can self-pollinate. This means it can make seeds using its own pollen. Its flowers are also pollinated by native bumblebees. After pollination, the plant produces a fruit. This fruit is a bent legume capsule. It is about 1 to 1.5 centimeters long. When it dries, it becomes papery.
See also
In Spanish: Astragalus agnicidus para niños
