Pride of California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pride of California |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lathyrus
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| Species: |
splendens
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Lathyrus splendens is a special kind of wild pea plant. People often call it the pride of California or Campo pea. It's known for its beautiful, bright red flowers. This plant is a climbing vine that can be found in dry, bushy areas.
Contents
Discovering the Pride of California Pea
Where Does This Pea Live?
This plant naturally grows in Baja California, which is in Mexico. It also grows in San Diego County, California, in the United States. You can find it in a type of bushy area called chaparral. Chaparral is a dry place with many shrubs and small trees. The pride of California pea thrives in these sunny, wild areas.
What Does the Pride of California Look Like?
The pride of California is a perennial vine. This means it lives for more than two years. It climbs by using special parts called tendrils. These tendrils are like tiny coils that wrap around other plants or objects. This helps the vine reach for sunlight.
Leaves and Stems
Each leaf on the plant is made up of 6 to 8 smaller parts. These are called leaflets. The leaflets are usually long and thin, or shaped like an oval. They can be a few centimeters long. Near the base of each leaf, there are wavy-edged parts called stipules. These stipules are like small leaf-like structures.
Flowers and Fruit
This plant produces very showy flowers. They grow in groups called inflorescences. Each group can have up to 6 bright red flowers. Each flower is about 3 centimeters wide. The bright red color makes them stand out. After the flowers bloom, the plant grows a fruit. This fruit is a pod, similar to a pea pod. It is called a dehiscent legume pod. This means it splits open when it is ripe to release its seeds. The pod itself is smooth and does not have any hairs.
