Santa Cruz clover facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Santa Cruz clover |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Trifolium
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| Species: |
buckwestiorum
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Trifolium buckwestiorum, also known as the Santa Cruz clover, is a very rare type of clover. It's special because it only grows in a few places in California. This small plant is an important part of its local environment.
Where Does Santa Cruz Clover Live?
The Santa Cruz clover is found only in California. This means it is endemic to California. It grows in just a few small areas. These areas are mostly in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma Counties.
Scientists think it might also grow in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Mendocino Counties. However, its groups of plants are very small. They can be easily harmed by things like cars, new buildings, and even wild pigs.
This special clover likes to grow in forests and woodlands. It also lives in coastal prairie areas. These are grassy lands near the ocean.
What Does Santa Cruz Clover Look Like?
The Santa Cruz clover is an annual herb. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, and then dies all in one year. It can grow straight up or spread out along the ground. Its stems and leaves are smooth and can be green or reddish.
The leaves have small parts called leaflets. These leaflets are oval-shaped and have tiny teeth along their edges. Each leaflet is about 1.5 centimeters long. The leaves also have small, pointy parts called stipules at their base.
The flowers grow in a round cluster, like a small ball. This flower cluster is about one centimeter wide. The flowers sit in a cup-shaped structure made of wide, jagged-edged bracts. Each flower has small green parts called sepals that become thin bristles. The petals are pink and less than one centimeter long.
