Astragalus nuttallianus var. austrinus
Smallflowered milkvetch
(c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Astragalus nuttallianus var. austrinus (Smallflowered milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by hair type and leaflet tips.
Smallflowered milkvetch is a California native annual found in areas with calcareous soils at elevations of 600 to 2,150 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces delicate white to pale yellow flowers with silvery-stiff hairs on the calyx. Growing with slender stems typically 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms a delicate, sprawling annual herb. Its compound leaves have leaflets with distinctively acute tips, each leaflet small and precisely shaped. The calyx tube measures approximately 2.5 millimeters long, with lobes between 1.8 to 2.8 millimeters, covered in striking silvery-white, very stiff spreading hairs.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 49 sympatric species; key features are hair type and leaflet tips
Habitat and range
Habitat: Calcareous soils
Elevation: generally 600-2150 m
Outside California: Arizona to Oklahoma, Texas, northwestern Mexico, near California in western Arizona, possibly a waif in California
Bloom period
Astragalus nuttallianus var. austrinus blooms Mar-May.
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 nuttallianus var. austrinus native to California?
Yes. Astragalus nuttallianus var. austrinus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus nuttallianus var. austrinus bloom?
Astragalus nuttallianus var. austrinus blooms Mar-May.
What plant family does Astragalus nuttallianus var. austrinus belong to?
Astragalus nuttallianus var. austrinus is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
What habitat does Astragalus nuttallianus var. austrinus grow in?
Astragalus nuttallianus var. austrinus grows in Calcareous soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Astragalus nuttallianus var. cedrosensis — Cedros milkvetch
- Astragalus nuttallianus var. imperfectus — Turkey peas
- Astragalus nuttallii — Nuttall's milkvetch
- Astragalus nuttallii var. nuttallii — Ocean bluff milkvetch
- Astragalus nuttallii var. virgatus — Nuttall's milkvetch
- Astragalus nyensis — Nye milkvetch
Sources: Jepson eFlora · 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.