Astragalus pachypus

Thick pod milkvetch

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Thick pod milkvetch is a California native perennial herb found in rocky or disturbed areas at moderate elevations. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces delicate white or cream to lemon yellow flowers with banners 15 to 22 millimeters long that recurve at approximately 45 degrees. Growing with robust, rigid stems 20 to 80 centimeters tall and appearing bushy and sparsely leafy, it develops a wiry, somewhat erect habit. Its compound leaves span 2.5 to 16.5 centimeters and feature 11 to 27 narrow leaflets spaced along the stem, each leaflet measuring 3 to 34 millimeters long. The distinctive fruit is stiff-leathery, ascending or spreading, with a body 12 to 28 millimeters long and a short, sharp, persistent beak.

California counties: Riverside, Ventura, Kern, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Inyo

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