Astragalus curtipes
Morro milkvetch
(c) lander1950, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus curtipes (Morro milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by distinctive numerous narrow leaflets and bladdery fruits.
Morro milkvetch is a California native perennial found in southern Central Coast, southern Coastal, and northern Channel Islands bioregions in coastal shrubland and grassy areas at elevations below 450 meters. Flowering from February to June, this plant produces cream-colored flowers with faintly lilac-tipped keel petals in dense clusters of 15 to 35 blooms. Growing with ascending stems in clumped formations 20 to 40 centimeters tall and covered in fine gray-like hairs, the plant has a distinctively compact structure. Its leaves are complex, featuring 25 to 39 leaflets ranging from 2 to 25 millimeters long, with linear-oblong to narrowly obovate shapes and blunt or shallowly notched tips. The fruit is a distinctive bladdery pod 23 to 36 millimeters long, ascending or spreading with a half-ovate profile and sparse minute hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 37 sympatric species; distinctive numerous narrow leaflets and bladdery fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: shrubland, grassy or disturbed areas near coast
Elevation: < 450 m
California counties: Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Tulare, San Joaquin, San Diego, San Benito, Los Angeles, Monterey
Bloom period
Astragalus curtipes blooms Feb-Jun.
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 curtipes native to California?
Yes. Astragalus curtipes is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus curtipes bloom?
Astragalus curtipes blooms Feb-Jun.
Where in California does Astragalus curtipes grow?
Astragalus curtipes occurs in Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Tulare, San Joaquin, San Diego, San Benito and other counties, at elevations of < 450 m.
What plant family does Astragalus curtipes belong to?
Astragalus curtipes is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus curtipes grow in?
Astragalus curtipes grows in shrubland, grassy or disturbed areas near coast.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Astragalus curvicarpus var. curvicarpus — Sickle milkvetch
- Astragalus deanei — Dean's milkvetch
- Astragalus didymocarpus — Two-seeded milkvetch
- Astragalus didymocarpus var. didymocarpus — Common dwarf milkvetch
- Astragalus didymocarpus var. dispermus — Dwarf white milkvetch
- Astragalus didymocarpus var. milesianus — Miles' milkvetch
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.