Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis
Freckled milkvetch
(c) Hadley Paul Garland, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis (Freckled milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by flower color and fruit morphology.
Freckled milkvetch is a California native perennial found in the southern Coast Ranges and western Transverse Ranges on dry, grassy hillsides often associated with oak woodlands at elevations of 700 to 2,150 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces delicate pink-purple flowers with banner petals 12 to 20 millimeters long arranged in clusters of 7 to 20 blossoms. Growing with widely branched stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall and covered in subappressed hairs, it forms an open, spreading habit. Its compound leaves feature 7 to 29 widely obovate leaflets, each 3 to 18 millimeters long, creating a soft, textured appearance. The distinctive fruit is a half-ovate pod 12 to 30 millimeters long, often slightly incurved and minutely strigose, drying to a thick-papery texture.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 26 sympatric species; distinguished by flower color and fruit morphology
Habitat and range
Habitat: Dry, grassy hillsides, often with oak
Elevation: 700-2150 m
Bloom period
Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis blooms Apr-Jun.
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. idriensis native to California?
Yes. Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis bloom?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis blooms Apr-Jun.
What plant family does Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis belong to?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis grow in?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis grows in Dry, grassy hillsides, often with oak.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus — Freckled milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. kernensis — Kern plateau milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. lentiginosus — Freckled milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. micans — Shining milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. nigricalycis — Black hair milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis — Fish slough milkvetch
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · 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.