Sharpkeel milkvetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sharpkeel milkvetch |
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| Herbarium specimen | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Astragalus
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| Species: |
acutirostris
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The Astragalus acutirostris is a type of plant called a milkvetch. Its common name is sharpkeel milkvetch. This plant grows naturally in the Mojave Desert and nearby areas. You can find it in California, Nevada, and Arizona. It likes to grow in dry places with sand and small rocks.
About the Sharpkeel Milkvetch
The sharpkeel milkvetch is an annual legume. This means it lives for only one year and belongs to the pea family. It has a stem that is a bit fuzzy and reddish. This stem usually grows along the ground or stands up a little. It can be up to 30 centimeters long, which is about the length of a ruler.
Its small leaves are made of several pairs of tiny leaflets. These leaflets are oval-shaped and less than one centimeter long. They often have a small notch or cut at their tips.
The plant's flowers grow in a group called an inflorescence. Each group has one to six flowers. They are white or have a light pink color and look like small peas. Each flower has a top petal, called a banner, that curves backward.
The fruit of the sharpkeel milkvetch is a legume pod. It is slightly curved and narrow, measuring 1 to 3 centimeters long. The pod has thin walls and is lightly covered in white hairs, just like the rest of the plant.
See also
In Spanish: Astragalus acutirostris para niños
