Egg milkvetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Astragalus oophorus |
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| pods of var. clokeyanus | |
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Astragalus oophorus is a type of plant called a milkvetch. Its common name is egg milkvetch. This plant grows in the western United States. You can find it mostly in California and Nevada. One type of this plant even grows as far east as Colorado. It likes dry places, like areas with sagebrush.
What it Looks Like
Astragalus oophorus is a plant that lives for many years. It has a strong stem that usually doesn't have much hair. The stem can grow up to about 30 cm (12 in) (about 12 inches) long.
Its leaves can be up to 15 cm (5.9 in) (about 6 inches) long. Each leaf is made up of many small, oval or round leaflets.
The plant's flowers grow in a group called an inflorescence. There are usually four to ten flowers in each group. Each flower can be up to 2.5 cm (0.98 in) (about 1 inch) long. The flowers are often cream-colored. Some can be reddish-purple with white tips.
After the flowers, the plant grows a fruit. This fruit is a puffy, oval-shaped pod. It looks a bit like a bladder. These pods can be from 2 cm (0.79 in) to over 5 cm (2.0 in) (about 1 to 2 inches) long.
Different Types
There are a few different types, or varieties, of Astragalus oophorus:
- A. o. var. caulescens - This type grows in the western US, from Nevada to Colorado.
- A. o. var. clokeyanus - This type is special because it only grows in Nevada.
- A. o. var. lavinii (Lavin's milkvetch) - This type is found in Nevada and also in California.
