Astragalus pulsiferae var. pulsiferae

Pulsifer's milkvetch, Pulsifer's Milkvetch

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Pulsifer's milkvetch is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada and eastern Modoc Plateau in sandy or rocky pine and sagebrush habitats at elevations of 1,300 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces pale flowers in compact clusters typical of milkvetch species. Growing with slender stems 15 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms low, spreading clumps characteristic of mountain legume populations. Its pinnately compound leaves have 11 to 19 narrow leaflets, each 5 to 10 millimeters long, arranged in a delicate, feather-like pattern. The fruits are small, inflated legume pods typical of the Astragalus genus, adapted to high-elevation rocky environments.

Habitat: Sandy or rocky soil, often with pines, sagebrush

Bloom period: May-Aug

Elevation: 1300-1900 m

Bioregions: n SNH, e MP

California counties: Plumas, Lassen, Sierra, Los Angeles

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