Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus
Torrey's milkvetch
Stan Shebs (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus (Torrey's milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by stemless habit, 3 leaflets, white-tipped wing petals.
Torrey's milkvetch is a California native perennial found in the northern Desert Mountains and eastern Sierra Nevada in rocky areas, sagebrush scrub, and pine forest at elevations of 1,500 to 3,550 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces white to bright purple flowers with white wing tips, blossoms 10 to 13 millimeters long. Growing as a tufted, nearly stemless herb with silvery-strigose stems, it forms dense clusters close to the ground. Its leaves are composed of 3 crowded leaflets near the leaf tip, each 5 to 19 millimeters long and elliptic to obovate with generally obtuse or acute tips. The ascending fruits are 10 to 25 millimeters long, slightly three-sided and strigose, with approximately two seed chambers.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 63 sympatric species; stemless habit, 3 leaflets, white-tipped wing petals
Habitat and range
Habitat: Rocky areas, sagebrush scrub, pine forest
Elevation: 1500-3550 m
California counties: Inyo, Mono, San Bernardino
Outside California: to Idaho, Wyoming
Bloom period
Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus blooms Apr-Jul.
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 calycosus var. calycosus native to California?
Yes. Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus bloom?
Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus grow?
Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus occurs in Inyo, Mono, San Bernardino, at elevations of 1500-3550 m.
What plant family does Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus belong to?
Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus grow in?
Astragalus calycosus var. calycosus grows in Rocky areas, sagebrush scrub, pine forest.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
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.