Little Kern milkvetch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Astragalus shevockii
Scientific classification

The Astragalus shevockii is a special plant, often called the Little Kern milkvetch or Shevock's milkvetch. It's a type of milkvetch plant. This plant is very rare and only grows in one specific place: Tulare County, California. You can find it in the High Sierra mountains, usually in forests with Jeffrey pine trees. It likes to grow in soil that comes from granite rocks.

What Does the Little Kern Milkvetch Look Like?

The Little Kern milkvetch is a thin plant that lives for many years. It has stems that can grow up to 35 centimeters (about 14 inches) long. These stems are strong and have tiny hairs on them.

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of this plant are a few centimeters long. Each leaf is made up of several small, oval-shaped parts called leaflets. These leaflets are spread out along the leaf.

When the plant blooms, it grows an open group of flowers. This group is called an inflorescence. It can have up to 13 flowers, and each flower is about one centimeter (less than half an inch) long. The flowers are a pretty cream color.

Fruit of the Plant

After the flowers, the plant produces a fruit. This fruit is a type of legume pod. It looks like a small, hairy, paper-thin shell. Each pod is usually between 1 and 3 centimeters long.