Tygh Valley milkvetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tygh Valley milkvetch |
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The Tygh Valley milkvetch (Astragalus tyghensis) is a special kind of flowering plant. It belongs to the legume family, which includes peas and beans. This plant is only found in one small area: the Tygh Valley in Wasco County, Oregon, in the United States. This means it is endemic to that specific place.
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What is the Tygh Valley Milkvetch Like?
The Tygh Valley milkvetch is a plant that lives for many years. It grows from a strong main root called a taproot. It also has a branching base, or caudex, from which its stems grow.
How Does it Look?
This plant often forms a mat or a clump on the ground. Its stems can lie flat or grow upright, reaching up to 55 centimeters (about 22 inches) long. Most of the plant is covered in soft, silky hairs. Its leaves are made up of several smaller leaflets, each about 1.7 centimeters (0.7 inches) long.
Flowers and Reproduction
The Tygh Valley milkvetch produces clusters of up to 40 flowers. These clusters are called a raceme. Each flower has very hairy green parts called sepals. The petals, which form the main part of the flower, are a pale yellow color and can be up to 1.2 centimeters (0.5 inches) long.
Insects, especially bees, help pollinate these flowers. After pollination, the plant grows a small fruit called a legume pod. These pods are about 0.7 centimeters (0.3 inches) long. The plant reproduces by making seeds inside these pods.
Where Does the Tygh Valley Milkvetch Live?
This unique plant grows in areas with sagebrush, open grasslands, and prairies. You might even spot it sometimes along the sides of roads in its native area.
Protecting the Tygh Valley Milkvetch
The Tygh Valley milkvetch is considered a "Species of Concern" by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. This means experts are worried about its future.
What Threats Does it Face?
One big problem for this plant is that its natural home is being used for farming. This means less space for the milkvetch to grow. It also has to compete with harmful plants called noxious weeds. One example is a plant called Centaurea diffusa, which can take over the milkvetch's habitat.
