Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis
Fish slough milkvetch
(c) Hadley Paul Garland, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1 · Threatened
Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis (Fish slough milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by very few leaflets and moist alkaline habitat.
Fish slough milkvetch is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada Eastern (near Bishop, Mono, and Inyo counties) in moist alkaline soil banks at elevations of 1,300 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces lavender flowers with a banner 13 millimeters long and keel 9 millimeters long. Growing prostrate with stems less than 1 meter tall and sparsely leafy, it has a canescent appearance. Its leaves consist of 3 to 5 linear-oblanceolate leaflets, with lateral leaflets 7 to 20 millimeters long and terminal leaflets 14 to 32 millimeters long. The fruit is strongly inflated, 20 to 24 millimeters long, densely strigose with a stiff-papery texture and a beak 4.5 to 7 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 36 sympatric species; distinguished by very few leaflets and moist alkaline habitat
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist alkaline soil banks
Elevation: 1300 m
California counties: Mono, Inyo, Marin
Bloom period
Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis blooms Jun-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1 · Threatened
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. piscinensis native to California?
Yes. Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis bloom?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis grow?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis occurs in Mono, Inyo, Marin, at elevations of 1300 m.
What plant family does Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis belong to?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
Is Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis rare or endangered?
Astragalus lentiginosus var. piscinensis carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. salinus — Sagebrush milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. semotus — Freckled milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. sesquimetralis — Sodaville milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. sierrae — Big bear valley milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. variabilis
- Astragalus leucolobus — Big bear valley woollypod
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.