Astragalus lentiginosus var. sesquimetralis

Sodaville milkvetch, Sodaville Milkvetch

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1

Sodaville milkvetch is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native perennial found in northern Death Valley Mountains, specifically on the eastern slope of the Last Chance Range, in moist, alkaline flats at elevations around 950 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces purple flowers with a banner 12 to 14.5 millimeters long and distinctive keel. Growing with prostrate stems 60 to 80 centimeters long and appearing sparsely hairy, it develops a spreading habit across alkaline terrain. Its compound leaves feature 7 to 17 oblanceolate leaflets, each 6 to 18 millimeters long and nearly glabrous on the upper surface. The distinctive fruit is somewhat inflated, 12 to 26 millimeters long, with a stiff-papery texture and a short 4 to 8 millimeter beak.

Habitat: Moist, alkaline flats

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 950 m

Bioregions: n DMoj (n Death Valley, e slope Last Chance Range)

California counties: Inyo, Mono

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