Lens-pod milkvetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Astragalus lentiformis |
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| Jepson Herbarium specimen sheet for Astragalus lentiformis | |
| Scientific classification |
Astragalus lentiformis is a special kind of plant known as a milkvetch. Its common name is lens-pod milkvetch because its fruit looks like a small lens. This plant is found only in one specific area, which means it is endemic to that place.
Where Does It Grow?
The lens-pod milkvetch grows in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains. You can find it in the eastern part of Plumas County, California. It likes to live in areas with chaparral scrub, which are dry lands with shrubs. It also grows in coniferous forests, which are forests filled with cone-bearing trees like pines.
What Does It Look Like?
This plant is a small perennial herb. This means it's a plant that lives for more than two years and does not have a woody stem like a tree. It forms a patch on the ground with stems that spread out. These stems are usually about 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) long.
Stems and Leaves
The leaves of the lens-pod milkvetch are quite small, less than 4 centimeters (about 1.5 inches) long. Each leaf is made up of several tiny, narrow leaflets. Both the stems and the leaves have a soft, thin covering of fine grayish hairs. This fuzzy coat helps protect the plant.
Flowers and Fruits
The plant produces small groups of flowers. Each group, called an inflorescence, has about 5 to 10 flowers. These flowers are usually off-white or a pale yellow color. They are very tiny, only a few millimeters long. After the flowers bloom, they turn into fruits. The fruit is a legume pod, which is like a small pea pod. It is shaped like a lens and is less than a centimeter long. The pod feels hairy and has a papery texture.
