Astragalus webberi
Webber's milkvetch
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Astragalus webberi (Webber's milkvetch) is a native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by satiny leaf sheen and robust habit are distinctive.
Webber's milkvetch is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada and Warner Mountains on open, shrubby slopes and dry woodland at elevations of 850 to 1,550 meters. Flowering from May to July, this plant produces cream-colored flowers in clusters of 6 to 14, with banner petals recurved 50 to 75 degrees. Growing with slender, decumbent stems 15 to 50 centimeters long and a robust, widely branched habit, the plant is densely covered in fine hairs that give its leaflets a distinctive satiny sheen. Its compound leaves are 2.5 to 15 centimeters long, featuring 9 to 25 leaflets that are narrowly to widely obovate and measuring 5 to 35 millimeters in length. The fruit is an ascending, stiff-leathery pod 20 to 35 millimeters long and 7 to 12 millimeters wide, with a nearly round cross-section.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 47 sympatric species; satiny leaf sheen and robust habit are distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, shrubby slopes, dry woodland
Elevation: 850-1550 m
California counties: Plumas, Modoc, Sierra
Bloom period
Astragalus webberi blooms May-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 webberi native to California?
Yes. Astragalus webberi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Astragalus webberi bloom?
Astragalus webberi blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Astragalus webberi grow?
Astragalus webberi occurs in Plumas, Modoc, Sierra, at elevations of 850-1550 m.
What plant family does Astragalus webberi belong to?
Astragalus webberi is in the Fabaceae family, genus Astragalus.
Is Astragalus webberi rare or endangered?
Astragalus webberi carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Astragalus whitneyi — Balloon milkvetch
- Astragalus whitneyi var. confusus — Conelike milkvetch
- Astragalus whitneyi var. lenophyllus — Woolly-leaved milkvetch
- Astragalus whitneyi var. siskiyouensis — Siskiyou milkvetch
- Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi — Balloonpod milkvetch
- Astragalus accidens var. hendersonii — Henderson's milkvetch
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.