Wetherill's milkvetch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wetherill's milkvetch |
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Astragalus wetherillii, also known as Wetherill's milkvetch, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the legume family, which includes peas and beans. This plant grows naturally in parts of Colorado and Utah in the United States.
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Wetherill's Milkvetch: A Desert Plant
What Does Wetherill's Milkvetch Look Like?
This plant is a perennial herb. This means it lives for more than two years. It grows from a thick main root called a taproot. It also has a woody base called a caudex. From this base, several stems grow. These stems can be a bit purple or reddish. They have fine hairs on them.
The leaves are green. They do not have the shiny, silver hairs that some other plants in the Astragalus group have. Each leaf can be up to 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) long. It is made up of as many as 15 smaller leaflets.
The flowers are usually white. Sometimes they have a light lavender color. Each flower is about one centimeter (less than half an inch) long. After the flowers, the plant makes a fruit. This fruit is a legume pod. It has only one section inside. The pod is green and sometimes has purple spots.
Where Does Wetherill's Milkvetch Grow?
Wetherill's milkvetch is found mostly in Colorado. There is also one known place where it grows in Utah. This spot is in the canyon of the Colorado River. Even though it has not been checked recently, scientists think it is still growing there.
This plant likes to grow in certain types of places. It is often found in pinyon-juniper woodlands. These are forests with small pine and juniper trees. It also grows in shrublands and desert areas. You can usually find it in open spots. It likes slopes and dry streambeds called arroyos. In some places, many of these plants can grow close together.
How Does Wetherill's Milkvetch Live?
Wetherill's milkvetch is a short-lived perennial plant. This means it usually lives for a few years. However, sometimes it only lives for one year before it dies.
This plant makes new plants from its seeds. The flowers bloom in May and June. This is when the plant is ready to make seeds for the next generation.
