Frisco clover facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frisco clover |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Trifolium
|
| Species: |
friscanum
|
Frisco clover (Trifolium friscanum) is a special and rare flowering plant. It belongs to the legume family, just like peas and beans! This plant grows only in the state of Utah in the United States. You can find it in specific areas like the San Francisco Mountains, Beaver Lake Mountains, Wah Wah Mountains, and Tunnel Springs Mountains. Most Frisco clover plants live in the San Francisco Mountains, especially near Frisco Peak, which is the highest point there. Scientists first described it in 1978, and then in 1993, they recognized it as its own unique species.
Contents
What Does Frisco Clover Look Like?
Frisco clover is a small plant that grows close to the ground. It has a main root that goes deep into the soil. Its stem is woody, which means it's a bit tough, like a tiny tree trunk.
- This plant usually grows no taller than 3 centimeters (about 1 inch).
- Each leaf is made up of three smaller parts called leaflets.
- These leaflets are covered in soft, silvery hairs, making them look shiny.
- The plant produces clusters of 4 to 9 reddish-purple flowers. These flowers grow together in a group called an inflorescence.
Where Does Frisco Clover Grow?
This unique plant lives in certain types of environments. It prefers areas with pinyon-juniper trees and sagebrush plants.
Other plants that grow near Frisco clover include:
- Ephedra viridis, also known as Mormon tea.
- Gutierrezia sarothrae, or snakeweed.
- Cercocarpus intricatus, which is a type of dwarf mountain-mahogany.
- Petradoria pumila, also called rock goldenrod.
The area where Frisco clover grows is also home to other rare plants. These include Eriogonum soredium (Frisco buckwheat) and Lepidium ostleri (Ostler's peppergrass).
Special Soil Needs
Frisco clover is known as a "narrow endemic." This means it only grows in very specific places. It needs a particular type of soil to thrive. You will find it growing in:
- Gravelly and bouldery volcanic soils.
- Ordovician limestone.
- Dolomite rock.
How Many Frisco Clover Plants Are There?
Scientists know of only five groups, or "populations," of Frisco clover plants. It's hard to count exactly how many individual plants there are. This is because the plant often forms small mounds, making it difficult to tell one plant from another. Also, some of these plant groups are on private land, which means access is limited.
What Threats Does Frisco Clover Face?
Frisco clover is a rare plant, and it faces a few big challenges that threaten its survival. The two main threats are mining and nonnative plant species.
Mining Activities
The region where Frisco clover grows has a long history of mining. This is because the rocks and soil in the area contain valuable metals like silver, zinc, lead, gold, and copper. There has also been Gravel quarrying, which is when gravel is dug up from the ground. Many old mine shafts can be found in the area.
- Most mining in the region has stopped.
- However, some local areas are still at risk from new mining activities.
- Three out of the five known populations of Frisco clover are located at old mining sites.
Invasive Plants
Another big threat to Frisco clover comes from plants that are not native to the area. These are called "introduced species" or "invasive species." The most well-known invasive plant in this region is Bromus tectorum, also called cheatgrass.
- Cheatgrass grows widely in the area.
- Unfortunately, past mining activities have actually helped cheatgrass spread even more.
- Cheatgrass makes the area more likely to have wildfires. The plants that naturally grow here, including Frisco clover, are not used to fires and can be badly harmed by them.
