Astragalus lentiformis

Lens-pod milkvetch

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Lens-pod milkvetch is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada Mountains in the southeastern Plumas County, inhabiting dry sandy soil in sagebrush and pine woodland at elevations of 1,450 to 1,800 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces pale yellow flowers that darken as they dry, with petals arranged in small clusters of 5 to 10 blooms. Growing with spreading, slender stems 10 to 20 centimeters tall and covered in fine, grayish hairs, the plant develops an open, delicate structure. Its leaves feature 7 to 15 narrow, slightly obovate leaflets measuring 2 to 10 millimeters long, with distinctive stipule sheaths at the base. The distinctive fruit is lens-shaped, curved downward, and measures 5 to 9 millimeters long with fine, wavy hairs covering its papery surface.

Habitat: dry sandy soil, sagebrush or pine

Bloom period: May-Jul

Elevation: 1450-1800 m

Bioregions: n SNH (se Plumas Co., possibly Sierra Co.).

California counties: Plumas, Sierra

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.