Scarlet locoweed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Scarlet locoweed |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Astragalus
|
| Species: |
coccineus
|
Astragalus coccineus, also known as scarlet locoweed or scarlet milkvetch, is a type of plant. It belongs to a group of plants called milkvetch. You can find this plant growing naturally in the deserts, scrublands, and chaparral areas of the Southwestern United States. This includes places like Arizona, California, and Nevada. It also grows in northwestern Mexico.
What is Scarlet Milkvetch?
Astragalus coccineus is a plant that grows in clumps. It is a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years. The plant is covered in many white hairs, making it look fuzzy.
Leaves and Flowers
Its leaves can grow up to 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) long. Each leaf is made up of several smaller, oval-shaped leaflets with pointed ends.
One special thing about this plant is its bright scarlet (red) flowers. These flowers are quite large. They help tell it apart from most other milkvetch plants. The flowers grow in a cluster called an inflorescence. Each cluster can have up to 10 flowers. Each flower is usually 3 to 4 centimeters (about 1.2 to 1.6 inches) long, or even longer.
Fruit
After the flowers, the plant produces a fruit. This fruit is a plump legume pod. A legume pod is like a pea pod. When it dries, it becomes hairy and feels like leather. These pods can grow up to 4 centimeters (about 1.6 inches) long.
See also
In Spanish: Astragalus coccineus para niños
