Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius
Northern loco milkvetch
(c) Hadley Paul Garland, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius (Northern loco milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by densely hairy habit, alkaline habitat, and bladdery fruits with curved beaks.
Northern loco milkvetch is a California native perennial found in the eastern Sierra Nevada and western Mojave Desert in Los Angeles County, growing on alkaline flats and seeps at elevations of 250 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces predominantly white flowers with subtle purple tones, each petal 8 to 12 millimeters long. Growing with prostrate stems 30 to 70 centimeters long, it is densely covered in stiff hairs. Its compound leaves feature 9 to 21 narrow, oblanceolate leaflets, each 3 to 18 millimeters long and densely strigose. The distinctive fruit is an inflated, bladdery pod 10 to 17 millimeters long with a curved downward beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 51 sympatric species; key features are densely hairy habit, alkaline habitat, and bladdery fruits with curved beaks
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alkaline flats, seeps
Elevation: 250-2300 m
Bloom period
Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius 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 lentiginosus var. albifolius native to California?
Yes. Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius bloom?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius blooms Apr-Jul.
What plant family does Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius belong to?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius grow in?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius grows in Alkaline flats, seeps.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. antonius — San antonio milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus — Borrego milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. chartaceus — Broadleaf milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. coachellae — Coachella valley milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. floribundus — Floriferous milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. fremontii — Fremont's milkvetch
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.