Astragalus pseudiodanthus

Tonopah milkvetch

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Tonopah milkvetch is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in eastern Mono County in sandy flats and dunes at elevations around 2,050 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces red-lilac flowers with a banner 9 to 10 millimeters long that curves back approximately 40 degrees. Growing with loose-matted, prostrate stems 20 to 30 centimeters long, it forms a crown hidden below the surface and has soft, spreading hairs. Its compound leaves contain 7 to 19 slightly crowded leaflets, each approximately 3 to 10 millimeters long and somewhat obovate in shape. The fruit is distinctively curved, extending more than half a circle and measuring 12 to 24 millimeters long with spreading hairs.

Habitat: Sandy flats, dunes

Bloom period: May-Jun

Elevation: 2050 m

Bioregions: SNE (e Mono Co.)

California counties: Mono

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