Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus
Borrego milkvetch
(c) Hadley Paul Garland, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.3
Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus (Borrego milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by annual habit and distinctive pod shape.
Borrego milkvetch is a California native perennial herb found in the Colorado Desert bioregion in sandy habitats at elevations from below sea level to 1,200 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces pink-purple flowers with a banner 12 to 14.8 millimeters long in clusters of 13 to 50 blooms. Growing with ascending stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall and densely covered in silvery hairs, it forms a compact herbaceous plant. Its leaves are 6 to 16 centimeters long, composed of 7 to 19 leaflets that are approximately obovate and 4 to 21 millimeters in length. The plant produces distinctive erect to ascending fruits that are 15 to 23 millimeters long, lanceolate in shape, and covered in silky hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 49 sympatric species; annual habit and distinctive pod shape
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sand
Elevation: -67-1200 m
California counties: San Diego, Imperial, San Bernardino, Riverside, Kern, Los Angeles
Outside California: northwestern Mexico
Bloom period
Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus blooms Mar-May.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.3
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. borreganus native to California?
Yes. Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus bloom?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus grow?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus occurs in San Diego, Imperial, San Bernardino, Riverside, Kern, Los Angeles, at elevations of -67-1200 m.
What plant family does Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus belong to?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
Is Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus rare or endangered?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. borreganus carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.3, state rank S4.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- 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
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis — Freckled milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus — Freckled milkvetch
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.