Astragalus lentiginosus var. kernensis

Kern plateau milkvetch, Kern Plateau Milkvetch

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Kern plateau milkvetch is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in sandy areas at elevations of 2,350 to 2,750 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces white flowers with a delicate banner 9 to 11 millimeters long. Growing with prostrate or decumbent stems 2 to 12 centimeters long, it has a slender, delicate form with fine strigose hairs. Its leaves carry 7 to 19 small, approximately ovate leaflets 2 to 7 millimeters long, with upper leaf surfaces nearly smooth. The fruit is a thin, bladdery structure 6 to 10 millimeters long, nearly spherical with a slender cylindric beak.

Habitat: Sandy areas

Bloom period: Jun-Jul

Elevation: 2350-2750 m

Bioregions: s SNH

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