Morro milkvetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Morro milkvetch |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Astragalus
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| Species: |
curtipes
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The Morro milkvetch (scientific name: Astragalus curtipes) is a special type of plant. It's also called a "milkvetch." This plant grows only in one specific area: the Central Coast of California. You can find it around Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo County. When a plant or animal lives only in one place, it's called endemic.
What is Morro Milkvetch?
The Morro milkvetch is a type of plant known as a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It grows in clumps and is covered with thick, woolly hairs. These hairs make the plant feel rough.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of the Morro milkvetch are a gray-green color. They can grow up to 16 centimeters (about 6 inches) long. Each leaf is made up of many fuzzy, long, and narrow leaflets.
The plant produces many flowers, sometimes as many as 35, in a dense cluster called an inflorescence. Each flower is about 1.5 centimeters (about half an inch) long. They are usually cream-colored, but some might have a touch of lilac color at their tips.
Fruit and Seeds
After the flowers bloom, the plant grows a fruit. This fruit is an inflated pod, which looks like a small balloon. It is about 2 to 3 centimeters (1 inch) long. When the pod dries, it becomes thin and papery. Inside this single chamber, there are many seeds.
Where Does it Grow?
The Morro milkvetch is found only in the Central Coast of California. This area includes places like Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo County. It is part of the unique chaparral and woodland plant communities there.
See also
In Spanish: Astragalus curtipes para niños
