Mojave lupine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mojave lupine |
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Scientific classification | |
Genus: |
Lupinus
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Species: |
odoratus
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The Mojave lupine (scientific name: Lupinus odoratus) is a special type of lupin plant. It gets its common name because it grows naturally in the Mojave Desert and the nearby western Great Basin area of the United States. This plant likes to grow in open spaces where the soil is sandy or gravelly.
Contents
Discovering the Mojave Lupine
The Mojave lupine was first described by a botanist named A. Heller. Botanists are scientists who study plants. They give plants scientific names like Lupinus odoratus so that people all over the world can know exactly which plant they are talking about, no matter what language they speak.
What Does It Look Like?
The Mojave lupine is an annual plant, which means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces new seeds, and then dies all within one year. It usually grows to be about 10 to 30 centimeters tall. That's about the length of a ruler!
Leaves and Stems
Each leaf on the Mojave lupine looks a bit like a hand with fingers spread out. These leaves are made up of 7 to 9 small, green parts called leaflets. Each leaflet is usually up to 2 centimeters long. The plant's stems and older leaves are mostly smooth, but new parts that are just starting to grow might have a few tiny hairs.
Flowers and Seeds
The Mojave lupine is known for its beautiful flowers and their sweet smell.
The Flowers
The flowers grow in a tall, upright cluster that spirals upwards. Each flower is small, about a centimeter long. They are a beautiful royal purple-blue color. Many of them have a small white spot on their top petal, which is called a banner. One of the most interesting things about these flowers is their scent. They smell a lot like violets!
Seeds and Pods
After the flowers bloom, they turn into fruit. For the Mojave lupine, this fruit is a thin, flat seed pod. These pods can grow up to 2 centimeters long. Inside these pods are the seeds, which will grow into new Mojave lupine plants the next year.