Astragalus albens
Cushenbury milkvetch, Cushenbury Milkvetch, Cushenbury milk-vetch, Cushenbury milk-vetch
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered
Astragalus albens (Cushenbury milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by unique to Cushenbury Canyon area.
Cushenbury milkvetch is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in Cushenbury Canyon in the northeastern San Bernardino Mountains adjacent to the Mojave Desert at elevations of 1,200 to 1,900 meters in rocky areas. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate pink-purple flowers with banner petals 7.3 to 9.5 millimeters long, recurved at about 40 degrees. Growing with loose-matted, prostrate stems 2 to 30 centimeters long, it is covered in dense, silvery, branched appressed hairs. Its leaves are 1 to 5.5 centimeters long with 5 to 9 leaflets, each 2 to 10 millimeters long, ovate to obovate with blunt, slightly notched tips. The fruit is a crescent-shaped, stiff-papery pod 10 to 18 millimeters long, densely covered in strigose hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; unique to Cushenbury Canyon area
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky areas
Elevation: 1200-1900 m
California counties: San Bernardino
Bloom period
Astragalus albens blooms Mar-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1 · Endangered
How to tell it apart
vs Vicia: Astragalus has racemes of flowers; vetches (Vicia) have tendrils at leaf tips and climbing or sprawling habit.; vs Oxytropis: Astragalus keel tip is rounded to slightly pointed; Oxytropis keel has a pronounced pointed beak.; vs Cleomella: Astragalus has pea-shaped flowers; Cleomella has 4-petaled cruciform flowers with long stamens.; vs Lupinus: Astragalus has pinnate compound leaves; lupines have palmate leaves (leaflets radiating from one point).; vs Dalea: Astragalus has typical pea flowers; Dalea has tiny flowers with petals attached to the stamen tube.
Frequently asked questions
Is Astragalus albens native to California?
Yes. Astragalus albens is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus albens bloom?
Astragalus albens blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Astragalus albens grow?
Astragalus albens occurs in San Bernardino, at elevations of 1200-1900 m.
What plant family does Astragalus albens belong to?
Astragalus albens is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
Is Astragalus albens rare or endangered?
Astragalus albens carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.