Astragalus hornii var. hornii
Horn's milkvetch, Horn's Milkvetch, Horn's milk-vetch, Horn's milk-vetch
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1
Astragalus hornii var. hornii (Horn's milkvetch) is a native California perennial in the Fabaceae family, recognized by habitat specificity and distinctive clustered inflated fruits.
Horn's milkvetch is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in southern San Joaquin Valley, southern California Coast, western Transverse Ranges, and western edge of Mojave Desert in salty flats and lake shores at elevations of 60 to 300 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces white to pale lilac flowers in dense head-like clusters with 10 to 35 spreading blossoms. Growing with slender to stout stems 30 to 120 centimeters tall and widely branched habit, it develops an open, spreading form. Its leaves are 1.5 to 13 centimeters long with 15 to 33 elliptic leaflets, typically 5 to 20 millimeters in length. The fruit develops in crowded, spherical heads with inflated, papery pods featuring a prominent, pointed beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 35 sympatric species; key features are habitat specificity and distinctive clustered inflated fruits
Habitat and range
Habitat: Salty flats, lake shores
Elevation: 60-300 m
California counties: Kings, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Tulare
Outside California: west-central Nevada
Bloom period
Astragalus hornii var. hornii blooms May-Sep.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1
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 hornii var. hornii native to California?
Yes. Astragalus hornii var. hornii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus hornii var. hornii bloom?
Astragalus hornii var. hornii blooms May-Sep.
Where in California does Astragalus hornii var. hornii grow?
Astragalus hornii var. hornii occurs in Kings, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern, Tulare, at elevations of 60-300 m.
What plant family does Astragalus hornii var. hornii belong to?
Astragalus hornii var. hornii is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
Is Astragalus hornii var. hornii rare or endangered?
Astragalus hornii var. hornii carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Astragalus insularis var. harwoodii — Harwood's milkvetch
- Astragalus inversus — Susanville milkvetch
- Astragalus inyoensis — Inyo milkvetch
- Astragalus iodanthus — Humboldt river milkvetch
- Astragalus iodanthus var. diaphanoides — Snake milkvetch
- Astragalus iodanthus var. iodanthus — Humboldt river milkvetch
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.