Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri
Geyer's milkvetch, Geyer's milk-vetch, Geyer's milk-vetch
(c) Jared Shorma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri (Geyer's milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by distinctive large terminal leaflet and inflated fruits.
Geyer's milkvetch is a native annual found in the Modoc Plateau and eastern Sierra Nevada (Owens Valley) in sandy areas at elevations around 1,200 meters. Flowering from April to July, this milkvetch produces white to lilac-blushed flowers with purple-tipped keel petals that are delicately recurved. Growing with prostrate to ascending stems 1 to 20 centimeters long, it appears slender and minutely hairy. Its leaves are 1.5 to 10 centimeters long with 3 to 13 relatively spaced linear to oblong leaflets, with the terminal leaflet typically larger than the others. The fruit is an inflated, half-ovate pod 15 to 25 millimeters long with a triangular beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 52 sympatric species; distinctive large terminal leaflet and inflated fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy areas
Elevation: +- 1200 m.
California counties: Inyo, Lassen
Outside California: to Washington, Wyoming, Utah
Bloom period
Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri blooms Apr-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.2
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 geyeri var. geyeri native to California?
Yes. Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri bloom?
Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri blooms Apr-Jul.
Where in California does Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri grow?
Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri occurs in Inyo, Lassen, at elevations of +- 1200 m..
What plant family does Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri belong to?
Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
Is Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri rare or endangered?
Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.2, state rank S2.
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.