Astragalus (
As-trá-ga-lusSyllable stress of botanical names varies with the language spoken by the person using the botanical name. In English-speaking countries the Botanical Latin places syllable stress for botanical names derived from ancient Greek and Latin broadly according to two systems, either the Reformed...
) is a large genus of about 2,000 species of
herbA herb is a plant that is valued for flavor, scent, or other qualities. Herbs are used in cooking, as medicines, and for spiritual purposes....
s and small
shrubA shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 5-6 m tall. A large number of plants can be either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
s, belonging to the
legumeIn botanical writing legume is a plant in the family Fabaceae , or a fruit of these specific plants. A'legume' fruit is a simple dry fruit that develops from a simple carpel and usually dehisces on two sides. A common name for this type of fruit is a pod, although "pod" is also applied to a few...
family
FabaceaeFabaceae or Leguminosae is a large and economically important family of flowering plants, which is commonly known as the legume family, pea family, bean family or pulse family. The name 'Fabaceae' comes from the defunct genus Faba, now included into Vicia...
, subfamily
FaboideaeFaboideae is a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. An acceptable alternative name for the subfamily is Papilionoideae....
. The genus is native to temperate regions of the
Northern HemisphereThe Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of the equator—the word hemisphere literally means 'half sphere'. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
. Common names include
milk-vetch (most species),
locoweedLocoweed is a common name in North America for any plant that produces swainsonine, a phytotoxin harmful to livestock. Worldwide, swainsonine is produced by a small number of species, most in three genera of the flowering plant family Fabaceae: Oxytropis and Astragalus in North America, and...
(in western US, some species) and
goat's-thorn (
A. gummifer, A. tragacanthus). Some pale-flowered
vetchVicia is a genus of about 140 species of flowering plants commonly known as vetches. It is in the legume family . Member species are native to Europe, Asia and Africa. Some other genera of their subfamily Faboideae also have names containing "vetch", for example the vetchlings or the milk-vetches...
es are similar in appearance, but vetches are more
vineThe term vine may refer to a climbing or trailing plant. The word, derived from Latin vīnea, in the original sense referred to the grapevines . The modern extended sense is mostly restricted to North American English, which uses "grapevine" to refer to the grape-bearing Vitis species...
-like.
Species
Astragalus species are used as food plants by the
larvaA larva is a young form of animal with indirect development, going through or undergoing metamorphosis ....
e of some
LepidopteraLepidoptera is an order of insects that includes moths and butterflies. It is one of the most speciose orders in the class Insecta, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
species including the following case-bearers of the genus
ColeophoraColeophora is a very large genus of moths of the family Coleophoridae with around 1000 described species. The genus is represented on all continents but the majority are found in the Nearctic and Palaearctic regions...
:
C. astragalella (feeds exclusively on
A. glycyphyllos),
C. cartilaginella (feeds exclusively on
Astragalus),
C. colutella,
C. euryaula (feeds exclusively on
Astragalus),
C. gallipennella (feeds exclusively on
A. glycyphyllos),
C. hippodromica (feeds exclusively on
A. gombo),
C. onobrychiella (feeds exclusively on
Astragalus),
C. polonicella (feeds exclusively on
A. arenarius) and
C. vicinella.
Medicinal uses
Astragalus propinquusAstragalus propinquus also known as huáng qí or běi qí , huáng hua huáng qí , is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is a perennial plant and it is not listed as being threatened.-Herbalism:A...
(also known as
Astragalus Membranaceus ) has a history of use as an herbal medicine, and the biotechnology firms Geron Corporation and TA Therapeutics of
Hong KongHong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a highly autonomous territory of the People's Republic of China, facing Guangdong to the north and the South China Sea to the east, west and south...
have been working on deriving a
telomeraseTelomerase is an enzyme that adds specific DNA sequence repeats to the 3' end of DNA strands in the telomere regions, which are found at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. The telomeres contain condensed DNA material, giving stability to the chromosomes...
activator from it.
In a recent news release Geron Corporation and Rita Effros from UCLA discussed the possibility of an herbal extract called TAT2 (Cycloastregenol) to be used to help combat
HIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections. Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid,...
, as well as infections associated with chronic diseases or aging.
Supplement use
Astragalus Membranaceus is now being purified by supplement companies for the particular natural
telomeraseTelomerase is an enzyme that adds specific DNA sequence repeats to the 3' end of DNA strands in the telomere regions, which are found at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. The telomeres contain condensed DNA material, giving stability to the chromosomes...
activating extracts. Despite lack of evidence and testing, these extracts have started to be marketed as
telomereA telomere is a region of repetitive DNA at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from destruction. Its name is derived from the Greek nouns telos "end" and merοs "part"....
enhancing, and life prolonging extracts. As of January 2009 only three companies offer telomerase activator supplement products from Astragalus: TA Sciences, Terraternal, and RevGenetics provide Astragaloside IV or another extract derived from Astragalus for this purpose. However no independent tests have confirmed that these supplements actually activate telomerase in humans, and even if it does, there exists a theoretical increased risk of cancer as telomeres appear to play a role in the body's anti-tumor defense system by limiting the chances of a harmful mutation.
Ornamental use
Several species, including
A. alpinus (bluish-purple flowers),
A. hypoglottis (purple flowers) and
A. lotoides, are grown as
ornamental plantOrnamental plants are typically grown in the flower garden or as house plants. Most commonly they are grown for the display of their flowers. Other common ornamental features include leaves, scent, fruit, stem and bark. In some cases, unusual features may be considered ornamental, such as the...
s in gardens.
Toxicology
The family of Astragalus has been reviewed by Rios and Waterman, indicating that the toxicities vary from one species to another
Selected species
(See external references)
- Astragalus acutirostris
Astragalus acutirostris is a species of milkvetch known by the common name sharpkeel milkvetch. It is native to the Mojave Desert and surroundings of California, Nevada, and Arizona, where it grows in dry, sandy, gravelly areas. This is an annual legume growing a hairy reddish stem no more than 30...
- Sharpkeel milkvetch
- Astragalus agnicidus
Astragalus agnicidus is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Humboldt County milkvetch. It is endemic to northern California, where it is known only from two populations in Humboldt County and one in Mendocino County....
- Humboldt County milkvetch
- Astragalus agrestis
Astragalus agrestis is a species of milkvetch known by the common names purple milkvetch, purple loco, and field milkvetch. It is native to much of western and northern North America from most of Canada to the southwestern United States, as well as eastern Asia. It grows in vernally moist areas...
- Field milkvetch, Purple milkvetch, Cock's-head
- Astragalus albens
Astragalus albens is a species of milkvetch known by the common names Cushenbury milkvetch and silvery-white milkvetch. It is endemic to San Bernardino County, California, where it is known from the northern slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains...
- Cushenbury milkvetch
- Astragalus alopecuroides
- Astragalus alpinus - Alpine milkvetch, mountain locoweed
- Astragalus amphioxys - Crescent milkvetch
- Astragalus andersonii
Astragalus andersonii is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Anderson's milkvetch. It is native to eastern California and western Nevada, where it is found in the plateaus at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, including the Modoc Plateau. This is a small perennial herb forming a thick patch...
- Anderson's milkvetch
- Astragalus angustifolius
- Astragalus annularis
- Astragalus anserinus
Astragalus anserinus, also called the Goose Creek milkvetch, is a member of the genus Astragalus that is listed as a candidate species under the Endangered Species Act. In grows in a 10 square mile area in Idaho, Nevada and Utah....
- Goose Creek milkvetch
- Astragalus anxius
Astragalus anxius is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common names troubled milkvetch and Ash Valley milkvetch. It is endemic to northern Lassen County, California, where it grows in the volcanic soil of the Modoc Plateau. It was formally described in 1992. This is a perennial herb forming...
- Troubled milkvetch
- Astragalus arenarius
- Astragalus aristatus
- Astragalus asymmetricus
Astragalus asymmetricus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name San Joaquin milkvetch. It is endemic to California, where it grows in grassy and disturbed areas in the Central Valley and nearby parts of the Central Coast Ranges and San Francisco Bay Area. This is a sturdy perennial herb...
- San Joaquin milkvetch
- Astragalus atropilosulus
Astragalus atropilosulus is a perennial herb in the Fabaceae family of Africa origin.It is used as a vegetable in Malawi and Kenya.-External links:...
- Astragalus austiniae
Astragalus austiniae is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Austin's milkvetch. It is native to the Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada in the vicinity of Lake Tahoe. It is a plant of the alpine climate of the high mountains, where it tolerates exposed areas...
- Austin's milkvetch
- Astragalus azizi
- Astragalus baionensis
- Astragalus barrii - Barr's milkvetch
- Astragalus bernardinus
Astragalus bernardinus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name San Bernardino milkvetch. It is native to the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California. It is also found in the Ivanpah Mountains in the Mojave Desert and the nearby New York Mountains which straddle the...
- San Bernardino milkvetch
- Astragalus bibullatus
Astragalus bibullatus is an endangered species of flowering plant that is endemic to the cedar glades of the central basin of Tennessee...
- Limestone-glade milkvetch
- Astragalus bicristatus
Astragalus bicristatus is a species of milkvetch known by the common names crested milkvetch and two-crested milkvetch. It is endemic to southern California, where it grows in the coniferous forests of the coastal mountain ranges. This is a perennial herb sprawling outwards with stems to a maximum...
- Crested milkvetch, Two-crested milkvetch
- Astragalus bidentatus
Astragalus bidentatus is a species of legume in the Fabaceae family.It is found only in Ecuador in two locations in the south above the timberline in the Azuay and Cañar provinces....
- Astragalus bisulcatus
Astragalus bisulcatus is leafy, caulescent perennial typically growing on selenium-rich soils and accumulates selenium with in its tissues....
- Two-groove milkvetch
- Astragalus boeticus
- Astragalus bolanderi
Astragalus bolanderi is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Bolander's milkvetch. It is native to western Nevada and parts of the Sierra Nevada in California. It grows in dry, rocky habitat on mountain and plateau. This is a perennial herb producing erect, drooping, or creeping stems up...
- Bolander's milkvetch
- Astragalus brauntonii
Astragalus brauntonii is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Braunton's milkvetch. It is endemic to southern California, where it is known from fewer than 20 extant occurrences in the hills and mountains surrounding Los Angeles. It is a plant of the coastal grassland, scrub, and...
- Braunton's milkvetch
- Astragalus breweri
Astragalus breweri is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Brewer's milkvetch. It is endemic to northern California, where it is found in several counties surrounding the north edge of the San Francisco Bay Area. It grows in open habitat in the North Coast Ranges, sometimes on serpentine...
- Brewer's milkvetch
- Astragalus californicus
Astragalus californicus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Klamath Basin milkvetch. It is native to the Klamath Mountains and surrounding ranges of northern California and southern Oregon, where it grows in scrub and woodland habitat. This is a perennial herb forming a sturdy open...
- California milkvetch
- Astragalus canadensis
Astragalus canadensis is a common and widespread member of the milkvetch genus in the legume family, known commonly as Canadian milkvetch. The plant is found throughout Canada and the United States in many habitats including wetlands, woodlands, and prairies...
- Canadian milkvetch
- Astragalus casei
Astragalus casei is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Case's milkvetch. It is native to the deserts and woodlands of western Nevada and eastern California. It is a wiry, branching perennial herb forming an open clump of jagged stems up to 40 centimeters long. Leaves are up to 10...
- Case's milkvetch
- Astragalus centralpinus
- Astragalus christianus
- Astragalus cicer - Wild Lentil, Chickpea milkvetch
- Astragalus cimae
Astragalus cimae is a species of milkvetch known by the common name cima milkvetch. It is native to the deserts and woodlands of western Nevada and eastern California, especially on calcareous soils. It is a spreading perennial herb with somewhat fleshy stems up to about 25 centimeters long. Leaves...
- Cima milkvetch
- Astragalus clarianus
Astragalus clarianus is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common names Clara Hunt's milkvetch and Napa milkvetch. It is endemic to northern California where it is known from only four or five occurrences along the border between Sonoma and Napa Counties. It is a federally listed endangered...
syn. Astragalus claranus - Clara Hunt's milkvetch, Napa milkvetch
- Astragalus clevelandii
Astragalus clevelandii is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Cleveland's milkvetch. It is endemic to northern California, where it grows in moist areas of the North Coast Ranges. It is a member of the serpentine soils flora. This is a bushy perennial herb growing up to a meter tall...
- Cleveland's milkvetch
- Astragalus coccineus
Astragalus coccineus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name scarlet milkvetch. It is native to the deserts and scrub of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It is a clumpy perennial herb coated thickly in white hairs. Leaves are up to 10 centimeters long and are made up...
- Scarlet milkvetch, scarlet locoweed
- Astragalus congdonii
Astragalus congdonii is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Congdon's milkvetch. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada foothills of central California. It is a hairy perennial herb growing to heights between 20 and 70 centimeters. The sparse leaves are up to 14 centimeters long and are...
- Congdon's milkvetch
- Astragalus crassicarpus (caryocarpus) - Ground-plum, Buffalo Plum
- Astragalus crotalariae
Astragalus crotalariae is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Salton milkvetch. It is native to the Sonoran Desert of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in desert scrub habitat. It is a bushy perennial herb growing to heights between 15 and 60...
- Salton milkvetch
- Astragalus curtipes
Astragalus curtipes is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Morro milkvetch. It is endemic to the Central Coast of California. It is a clumpy perennial herb with a dense coat of rough, woolly hairs. The gray-green leaves are up to 16 centimeters long and are made up of fuzzy leaflets...
- Morro milkvetch
- Astragalus danicus
- Astragalus deanei
Astragalus deanei is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Dean's milkvetch, or Deane's milkvetch. It is endemic to southern San Diego County, California, where it grows on the slopes of the Peninsular Ranges between El Cajon and Tecate. It is mostly hairless perennial herb growing...
- Deane's milkvetch, Dean's milkvetch
- Astragalus debequaeus - Debeque milkvetch
- Astragalus depressus
- Astragalus didymocarpus
Astragalus didymocarpus is a species of milkvetch known by the common names dwarf white milkvetch and two-seeded milkvetch. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it can be found in many types of habitat. It is a slender, hairy annual herb growing erect to about...
- Two-seeded milkvetch, Dwarf white milkvetch, white dwarf locoweed
- Astragalus douglasii
Astragalus douglasii is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Douglas' milkvetch. It is native to California and Baja California, where it can be found in many types of habitat. It is a bushy perennial herb producing a number of erect or prostrate stems up to a meter long. The abundant...
- Douglas's milkvetch
- Astragalus echinus
- Astragalus eriocarpus
- Astragalus ertterae
Astragalus ertterae is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Walker Pass milkvetch. It is endemic to California, where it is known from only three occurrences near Walker Pass in the Sierra Nevada. It is hairy perennial herb with a stem no more than 10 centimeters long, much of which...
- Walker Pass milkvetch
- Astragalus exscapus
- Astragalus filipes
Astragalus filipes is a species of milkvetch known by the common name basalt milkvetch. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to California to Utah, where it grows in many types of habitat, especially dry areas. This is a clumpy perennial herb growing 30 to 90 centimeters tall...
- Basalt milkvetch
- Astragalus frigidus - American milk-vetch, Arctic milkvetch
- Astragalus funereus
Astragalus funereus is an uncommon species of milkvetch known by the common names Funeral Mountain milkvetch and black milkvetch. It is native to the desert scrub of eastern California and western Nevada. This is a small tufted perennial herb coated densely in stiff hairs. The stems are up to 8...
- Funeral Mountain milkvetch
- Astragalus galegiformis
- Astragalus gambelianus
Astragalus gambelianus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Gambel's dwarf milkvetch. It is native to California, with its distribution extending into Oregon to the north and Baja California to the south. It grows in many types of habitat. This is an annual herb with slender stems...
- Gambel's dwarf milkvetch, dwarf locoweed
- Astragalus gibbsii
Astragalus gibbsii is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Gibbs' milkvetch. It is native to eastern California and western Nevada, where it grows in the pine forest habitat of the mountains and the sagebrush of the plateaus. This is low-lying perennial herb forming clumps of hairy,...
- Gibbs' milkvetch
- Astragalus gilmanii
Astragalus gilmanii is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Gilman's milkvetch. It is native to the desert scrub and woodland of Nevada, and it is known from a few locations in the Panamint Range adjacent to Death Valley in California. This is a small, low-lying annual or perennial herb...
- Gilman's milkvetch
- Astragalus gilviflorus - Plains milk-vetch, Plains orophaca
- Astragalus glycyphyllos
Astragalus glycyphyllos is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to Europe. It is a perennial herbaceous plant which sometimes used for tea.-External links:**...
- Wild Liquorice, Licorice milkvetch
- Astragalus gummifer
- Astragalus holmgreniorum - Holmgren locoweed
- Astragalus hypoglottis - Field milkvetch, Purple milkvetch, Cock's-head
- Astragalus illyricus - Illirian milkvetch
- Astragalus inversus
Astragalus inversus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Susanville milkvetch. It is endemic to the northeastern corner of California, where it grows in forest and dry scrub habitat. It is a perennial herb with slender, wiry, mostly leafless stems growing 20 to 50 centimeters long....
- Susanville milkvetch
- Astragalus inyoensis
Astragalus inyoensis is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Inyo milkvetch. It is native to the desert mountains and flats of western Nevada, and it is known from the White and Inyo Mountains of eastern California. It is a low, mat-forming perennial herb with slender, crooked gray-green...
- Inyo milkvetch
- Astragalus jaegerianus
Astragalus jaegerianus is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Lane Mountain milkvetch. It is endemic to San Bernardino County, California, where it is known from only four populations in the vicinity of Fort Irwin in the Mojave Desert. It is a federally listed endangered species....
- Lane Mountain milkvetch
- Astragalus johannis-howellii
Astragalus johannis-howellii is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Long Valley milkvetch. It is native to eastern California, including Long Valley in Mono County, and its distribution extends over the border into Nevada. It is a plant of Great Basin scrub habitat...
- Long Valley milkvetch
- Astragalus kentrophyta
Astragalus kentrophyta is a species of milkvetch known by the common name spiny milkvetch. It is native to western North America from central Canada to California to New Mexico. It grows in rocky mountainous areas and plateaus. This perennial herb is somewhat variable in appearance, especially...
- Spiny milkvetch
- Astragalus layneae
Astragalus layneae is a species of milkvetch known by the common name widow's milkvetch. It is native to the Mojave Desert and surrounding mountain ridges in the southwestern United States. This is a small perennial herb growing from a deep rhizome and producing erect stems no taller than about 16...
- Widow's milkvetch
- Astragalus lemmonii
Lemmon’s milkvetch is a rare plant of eastern California. It is a member of the bean family, the Leguminosae , and specifically a member of the subfamily Papilionoideae . The genus Astragalus is a large genus within this family; members of this genus are known as milkvetches or locoweeds...
- Lemmon's milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiformis
Astragalus lentiformis is a species of milkvetch known by the common name lens-pod milkvetch. It is endemic to eastern Plumas County, California, where it grows in scrub and coniferous forest. This is a small perennial herb forming a patch of spreading stems 10 to 20 centimeters long. The leaves...
- Lens pod milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus
Astragalus lentiginosus is a species of legume known by the common names spotted locoweed and freckled milkvetch. It is native to western North America where it grows in many habitat types. There are a great number of wild varieties of this species, and they vary in appearance...
- Freckled milkvetch, mottled locoweed, speckled locoweed, spotted locoweed
- Astragalus leontinus
- Astragalus leucolobus
Astragalus leucolobus is a species of milkvetch known by the common names Bear Valley milkvetch and Bear Valley woollypod. It is endemic to the mountain ranges of southern California, where it is known from scattered occurrences in the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto Mountains. It is a...
- Bear Valley woollypod, Bear Valley milkvetch
- Astragalus lusitanicus
- Astragalus lotoides
- Astragalus malacus
Astragalus malacus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name shaggy milkvetch. It is native to the Great Basin in the western United States. This is perennial herb growing upright to a maximum height near 40 centimeters. Its leaves are up to 15 centimeters long and are made up of many...
- Shaggy milkvetch
- Astragalus massiliensis
- Astragalus membranaceus - (syn. A. propinquus ) Huang qi in Chinese
- Astragalus miguelensis
Astragalus miguelensis is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name San Miguel milkvetch. It is endemic to five of the eight Channel Islands of California. This is a mat-forming perennial herb growing in wide, thick patches on rocky seaside bluffs and beaches. The abundant leaves are up...
- San Miguel milkvetch
- Astragalus missouriensis - Missouri milkvetch
- Astragalus mohavensis
Astragalus mohavensis is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Mojave milkvetch. It is native to the Mojave Desert of California and Nevada. This is an annual or perennial herb forming clumpy gray-green patches of upright stems up to 35 centimeters long. Leaves are up to about 12...
- Mojave milkvetch
- Astragalus mollissimus, woolly locoweed, stemmed locoweed
- Astragalus monoensis
Astragalus monoensis is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Mono milkvetch. It is endemic to the open pumice plains of central Mono County, California. This is a rhizomatous perennial herb with stems growing partly underground and emerging to lie flat on the sand. The leaves are up...
- Mono milkvetch
- Astragalus monspessulanus
- Astragalus naturitensis - Naturita milkvetch
- Astragalus nevinii
Astragalus nevinii is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name San Clemente Island milkvetch. It is endemic to San Clemente Island, one of the Channel Islands of California. This is perennial herb growing upright 10 to 30 centimeters tall. It is coated in woolly, tangled hairs. Its...
- San Clemente Island milkvetch
- Astragalus newberryi
Astragalus newberryi , is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to the southwestern United States in the Death Valley area and the eastern Mojave Desert. It grows in rocky and gravelly areas between 1300–2350 m altitude.It is a perennial herbaceous plant, with pinnate leaves 1.5–15 cm...
- Newberry's milk-vetch
- Astragalus norvegicus
- Astragalus nutans
Astragalus nutans is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Providence Mountains milkvetch. It is endemic to the deserts of eastern California, where it was named for the local Providence Mountains. This is a small annual or perennial herb growing patchlike and low to the ground or erect...
- Providence Mountains milkvetch
- Astragalus nuttallianus
Astragalus nuttallianus is a species of milkvetch known by the common names smallflower milkvetch and turkeypeas. It is native to the southwestern and south central United States and northern Mexico, where it can be found in many types of habitat, often in dry areas. This is an annual herb which is...
- Smallflowered milkvetch
- Astragalus nuttallii
Astragalus nuttallii is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Nuttall's milkvetch. It is native to California and Baja California, where it grows in the sandy soils of coastal habitat. This is a perennial herb forming thick, tangled clumps of hairy to hairless stems up to a meter in length...
- Nuttall's milk-vetch
- Astragalus obscurus
Astragalus obscurus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name arcane milkvetch. It is native to the northwestern United States of Idaho and Oregon and northern parts of Nevada and California. It is a plant of rocky areas in mountains and Great Basin plateaus...
- Arcane milkvetch
- Astragalus onobrychis
- Astragalus oocarpus
Astragalus oocarpus is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common names San Diego milkvetch and Descanso milkvetch. It is endemic to southern California, where it is known only from the Peninsular Ranges of San Diego County. Its range may extend north into Riverside County. It is a plant of...
- Descanso milkvetch, San Diego milkvetch
- Astragalus oophorus
Astragalus oophorus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name egg milkvetch. It is native to the western United States, mainly California and Nevada, though one variety can be found as far east as Colorado. It is a plant of sagebrush and other dry habitat. This is a perennial herb with a...
- Egg milkvetch
- Astragalus oxyphysus
Astragalus oxyphysus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Mt. Diablo milkvetch. It is endemic to central California, where it grows in dry grassland and scrub habitat in the Central Valley and the adjacent Inner Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada foothills. This is a robust perennial herb...
- Mt. Diablo milkvetch, Diablo locoweed
- Astragalus pachypus
Astragalus pachypus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name thickpod milkvetch. It is endemic to California, where it is known from many types of open habitat across the southern half of the state. This is a robust perennial herb forming stands of tough, wiry stems up to 80 centimeters...
- Thickpod milkvetch
- Astragalus panamintensis
Astragalus panamintensis is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Panamint milkvetch. It is endemic to Inyo County, California, where it is native to the Panamint Range. It grows from cracks in the limestone cliffs of the desert mountains. This is a small, brambly perennial herb having...
- Panamint milkvetch
- Astragalus pauperculus
Astragalus pauperculus is an uncommon species of milkvetch known by the common name depauperate milkvetch. It is endemic to northern California, where it is known from the northern Sacramento Valley and the lowest reaches of the Cascade foothills adjacent. It grows in chaparral and vernally wet...
- Depauperate milkvetch
- Astragalus penduliflorus
- Astragalus platytropis
Astragalus platytropis is a species of milkvetch known by the common name broadkeel milkvetch. It is native to the western United States from Montana to California, where it lives at high elevation in alpine and subalpine plant communities. This is a very small perennial milkvetch which forms a...
- Broadkeel milkvetch
- Astragalus pomonensis
Astragalus pomonensis is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Pomona milkvetch. It is native to Baja California and southern California, where it can be found in a number of coastal habitats, including the California Coast Ranges. This is a bushy perennial herb forming a clump of thick,...
- Pomona milkvetch, Pomona locoweed
- Astragalus propinquus
Astragalus propinquus also known as huáng qí or běi qí , huáng hua huáng qí , is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is a perennial plant and it is not listed as being threatened.-Herbalism:A...
(syn. A. membranaceus) - Huang qi
- Astragalus pseudiodanthus
Astragalus pseudiodanthus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Tonopah milkvetch. It is native to the deserts of Nevada and eastern California, where it grows in sandy habitat. This is a small mat-forming perennial herb extending several stems from a stem base which lies beneath the...
- Tonopah milkvetch
- Astragalus pulsiferae
Astragalus pulsiferae is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Ames' milkvetch. It is native to California and Nevada, and it is known but rare in Washington. It is known from many habitat types, including mountains and plateaus. This is a very small perennial herb forming small mats or...
- Ames' milkvetch
- Astragalus purshii
Astragalus purshii is a species of milkvetch known by the common names woollypod milkvetch and Pursh's milkvetch. It is native to much of western North America, including the southwestern provinces of Canada and the northwestern United States, where it is known from many types of habitat...
- Pursh's milk-vetch, Woolly-pod milkvetch, woolly-pod locoweed
- Astragalus pycnostachyus
Astragalus pycnostachyus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name marsh milkvetch. It is endemic to the coastline of California, where it grows in wet saline habitat such as marshes. There are two varieties. One, the Ventura marsh milkvetch , exists only in Oxnard, California, where one...
- Marsh milkvetch
- Astragalus rattanii
Astragalus rattanii is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Rattan's milkvetch. It is endemic to northern California, where it grows in the North Coast Ranges. This is a hairy annual herb with thin stems growing up to 30 centimeters long. The leaves are a few centimeters long and made up...
- Rattan's milkvetch
- Astragalus sabulonum
Astragalus sabulonum is a species of milkvetch known by the common name gravel milkvetch. It is native to the southwestern United States from desert to mountain habitat. This is a hairy annual herb with stems up to about 26 centimeters long. Leaves are a few centimeters long and are made up of...
- Gravel milkvetch
- Astragalus scaphoides
- Astragalus scaphoides :Astragalus scaphoides , is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, found only in a small area of southwest Montana and adjacent parts Idaho. It grows in shallow, south facing slopes, in semi-arid sage scrub.Astragalus scaphoides is a perennial herbaceous plant, with...
- Bitterroot milkvetch
- Astragalus sclerocarpus - Sicklepod milkvetch
- Astragalus sempervirens
- Astragalus shevockii
Astragalus shevockii is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common names Little Kern milkvetch and Shevock's milkvetch. It is endemic to Tulare County, California, where it grows in the High Sierra, generally on granite-based soils in Jeffrey pine forests. This is a slender perennial herb...
- Shevock's milkvetch, Little Kern milkvetch
- Astragalus shinanensis
- Astragalus shiroumaensis
- Astragalus sirinicus
- Astragalus spatulatus - Tufted milk-vetch, Draba milkvetch
- Astragalus speirocarpus - coilpod locoweed
- Astragalus subvestitus
Astragalus subvestitus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Kern County milkvetch. It is endemic to California, where it grows in sagebrush habitat on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada in Kern and Tulare Counties. This is small, hairy, mat-forming perennial herb producing stems no...
- Kern County milkvetch
- Astragalus tener
Astragalus tener is a species of milkvetch known by the common name alkali milkvetch. It is endemic to California, where it grows in both coastal and inland areas, especially in moist places. This is an annual herb producing upright stems up to 30 centimeters tall. The leaves are up to nine...
- Alkali milkvetch
- Astragalus tennesseensis - Tennessee milk vetch
- Astragalus tidestromii
Astragalus tidestromii is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Tidestrøm's milkvetch. It is native to the Mojave Desert of California and Nevada, where it grows in limestone gravel soils. This is a tuft or clump forming perennial herb with absent or very short stems. The leaves are up to...
- Tidestrøm's milkvetch
- Astragalus traskiae
Astragalus traskiae is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Trask's milkvetch. It is endemic to the Channel Islands of California, where it is known only from Santa Barbara Island and San Nicolas Island. This is branching perennial herb with hairy stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall...
- Trask's milkvetch
- Astragalus tricarinatus
Astragalus tricarinatus is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name triplerib milkvetch, or triple-ribbed milkvetch. It is endemic to California, where it can be found in the region where the San Bernardino Mountains meet the Mojave Desert. It grows in desert scrub and expanses of rock...
- Triple-ribbed milkvetch
- Astragalus trichopodus
Astragalus trichopodus is a species of legume known by the common name Santa Barbara milk vetch. It is native to southern California and Baja California, where it grows in several types of open habitat. This is a robust perennial herb producing a branching stem up to about a meter in maximum height...
- Santa Barbara milkvetch, coast locoweed, Southern California locoweed
- Astragalus tridactylus - Foothill milk-vetch
- Astragalus tragacanthus
- Astragalus umbraticus
Astragalus umbraticus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Bald Mountain milkvetch. It is native to western Oregon and northwestern California, where it grows in the woodlands of the coastal mountain ranges. This is an erect, branching perennial herb growing up to 50 centimeters tall...
- Bald Mountain milkvetch
- Astragalus vogelii
- Astragalus webberi
Astragalus webberi is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Webber's milkvetch. It is endemic to the forests of mountainous Plumas County, California. It is a spreading perennial herb with stems up to 50 centimeters long, and part of the stem growing underground. The leaves are up to...
- Webber's milkvetch
- Astragalus whitneyi
Atragalus whitneyi is a species of legume known by the common name Balloon-pod milk-vetch or Balloon milk-vetch. It is a native to the Cascade Range and is unusual for its bright red balloon-like pods.-External links:*...
- Balloon-pod milkvetch
- Astragalus zionis
Atragalus zionis is a species of legume known by the common name Zion milkvetch. It is one of the earliest flowers to bloom in Zion canyon....
- Zion milkvetch
External references