Bear Valley milkvetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Astragalus leucolobus |
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The Astragalus leucolobus, also known as the Bear Valley milkvetch or Bear Valley woollypod, is a unique type of plant. It belongs to a large group of plants called milkvetch. Milkvetch plants are part of the pea family, which means they often have special pods that hold their seeds.
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Where It Lives: Its Mountain Home
The Bear Valley milkvetch is a very special plant because it is endemic to a specific place. This means it only grows naturally in the mountain ranges of southern California. You won't find it growing wild anywhere else in the world!
California's Mountain Ranges
This amazing plant can be found in a few different mountain areas. These include the San Gabriel Mountains, the San Bernardino Mountains, and the San Jacinto Mountains. It likes to grow in mountain forests and woodlands. Imagine it nestled among the trees and other plants in these beautiful, high places.
What It Looks Like: A Fuzzy Plant
The Bear Valley milkvetch is a small plant that grows close to the ground. It's a perennial herb, which means it lives for more than two years and doesn't have a woody stem like a tree.
Stems and Leaves
This plant forms a low clump with stems that spread out. These stems are usually less than 7 centimeters long, which is about the length of your pinky finger. Its leaves are quite interesting too! They are made up of many small, oval-shaped leaflets that have pointed tips. The leaves are also woolly, meaning they are covered in soft, dense hairs, almost like a tiny fuzzy blanket.
Flowers and Fruit
When it blooms, the Bear Valley milkvetch produces a cluster of flowers called an inflorescence. This cluster usually has between 5 and 13 flowers. Each flower is a pretty pinkish-purple color and measures about one to two centimeters long.
After the flowers bloom, they turn into a special kind of fruit. This fruit is a legume pod, which is like the pods you see on peas or beans. The pod of the Bear Valley milkvetch is white and also very densely woolly. It even has a cool bent tip, making it look quite unique!
