Cushenbury milkvetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cushenbury milkvetch |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Astragalus
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| Species: |
albens
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The Astragalus albens is a type of milkvetch plant. People often call it the Cushenbury milkvetch or silvery-white milkvetch.
Where it Lives
This plant grows only in San Bernardino County, California. You can find it on the northern slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains, close to a place called Cushenbury. Most of these plants live in the forests and scrub areas. These areas are found between Big Bear in the mountains and Lucerne Valley in the Mojave Desert.
It likes to grow in soil that has a lot of limestone rock. This plant is listed as an endangered species by the government. This means it is at risk of disappearing forever. There are only about 30 to 50 groups of these plants left. In total, there are around 7,000 plants. This number can be even lower during times of drought, when there isn't enough rain.
What it Looks Like
The Astragalus albens can be a plant that lives for one year or many years. It grows low to the ground, forming a flat mat of thin stems. These stems are covered in shiny, silver-colored hairs. Its leaves are usually a few centimeters long. They are made up of several gray-green, oval-shaped smaller leaves, each less than a centimeter long.
The plant's flowers grow upright from the low mat of leaves. Each plant can have up to 14 pea-shaped flowers. These flowers are usually light to deep purple with darker veins. They often have a white or light pink spot in the middle.
The fruit of the plant is a legume pod. It is between one and two centimeters long. The pod is somewhat hairy and shaped like a crescent moon. When it dries, it becomes thick and feels like paper.
Why it Needs Help
The biggest danger to the Astragalus albens is limestone mining. This type of mining is a very big business in the San Bernardino Mountains. Mining changes the plant's home in several ways. It removes plants to create quarries (large pits where rock is dug out). It also builds roads and dumps extra materials.
Mining also changes how water flows in the area. It releases a lot of carbonate dust into the air. This dust mixes with water and forms a very thin layer that is like cement over the plant's habitat. Most of these plants live in areas where mining is happening now or is planned for the future.
Many of these plant areas are part of the San Bernardino National Forest. There are plans to protect parts of this land for the Astragalus albens and other rare plants. Other dangers to the plant include people using off-road vehicles and new buildings being constructed.
See also
