Parry's false prairie-clover facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Parry's false prairie-clover |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
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| Genus: |
Marina
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| Species: |
M. parryi
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| Binomial name | |
| Marina parryi (Torr. & A.Gray) Barneby
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Dalea parryi |
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Marina parryi is a cool flowering plant. People often call it Parry's false prairie-clover. It belongs to the legume family, just like peas and beans! You can find this plant growing naturally in the sunny deserts of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Meet Parry's False Prairie-Clover
Marina parryi is a type of plant known as a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It grows back each year from its roots. This plant is a great example of desert life.
What It Looks Like
This plant grows stiff, branching stems. These stems can be 20 to 80 centimeters long. That's about 8 to 31 inches! The stems are covered in tiny glands and rough hairs.
Its leaves are quite small. Each leaf is made up of several pairs of tiny oval leaflets. These leaflets are usually no more than 6 millimeters long. That's smaller than a pencil eraser!
Its Special Flowers
The flowers of Marina parryi grow in a special cluster. This cluster is called a raceme. Imagine a stalk with many flowers blooming along its sides. Each flower is less than a centimeter long. They are a beautiful mix of deep blue and white colors.
After the flowers bloom, they produce fruit. The fruit is a legume pod. This pod holds just one seed inside. It's similar to a tiny pea pod.
Where It Lives
Parry's false prairie-clover loves dry places. It is native to the deserts of the southwestern United States. You can also find it in northern Mexico. This plant is well-adapted to sandy and rocky desert soils. It thrives in sunny, open areas.
