Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus
Freckled milkvetch
(c) Hadley Paul Garland, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus (Freckled milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by elevation, habitat, and fruit characteristics.
Freckled milkvetch is a California native perennial found in the northern Sierra Nevada and eastern Sierra Nevada in open, gravelly places and talus slopes at elevations of 1,250 to 3,700 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces cream-colored flowers with a banner 8.8 to 12.2 millimeters long arranged in clusters of 10 to 21 blooms. Growing with decumbent stems 10 to 30 centimeters long, covered in grayish ascending hairs, it spreads low across rocky terrain. Its compound leaves feature 9 to 21 crowded leaflets, each small and obovate, typically 2 to 10 millimeters long. The fruit is a distinctive bladdery pod 10 to 18 millimeters long with a thin papery texture and an erect or slightly curved beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 56 sympatric species; distinguished by elevation, habitat, and fruit characteristics
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, gravelly places, talus slopes
Elevation: 1250-3700 m
California counties: Kern, Inyo, Mono, Tuolumne, Alpine, Ventura, Tulare, Placer
Bloom period
Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus blooms Jun-Aug.
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. ineptus native to California?
Yes. Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus bloom?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus grow?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus occurs in Kern, Inyo, Mono, Tuolumne, Alpine, Ventura, Tulare, Placer, at elevations of 1250-3700 m.
What plant family does Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus belong to?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus grow in?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. ineptus grows in Open, gravelly places, talus slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- 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
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. salinus — Sagebrush 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.