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limestone glade milkvetch

Scientific Name: Astragalus bibullatus

Family: Fabaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Perennial

Other Names: TN (Pyne's ground-plum)

       

Astragalus bibullatus: Limestone Glade Milkvetch

Astragalus bibullatus, commonly known as limestone glade milkvetch, is a perennial herb belonging to the Fabaceae (pea) family. Other common names include Pyne's Ground-plum and Guthrie's Ground-plum.

Considerations for Pets

  • The plant is a milkvetch, and many milkvetch species are referred to as "locoweed" in North America.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Astragalus bibullatus Barneby & Bridges
  • Family: Fabaceae (Pea Family)
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Taxonomic Rank: Species
  • Synonyms: Pyne's Ground-plum, Guthrie's Ground-plum

Distribution and Habitat

  • Limestone glade milkvetch is endemic to a few cedar glades in Rutherford County.
  • It is found in calcareous soils of Gladeville and Talbott series on karst limestone.
  • This plant can be found in limestone glades, savannas, and shorelines.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Astragalus bibullatus is a perennial forb (a non-woody plant that is not a grass).
  • It grows from a taproot.
  • The plant has leafy, branching stems bearing compound leaves with 13-25 small leaflets.
  • The typical height of the plant is between 30-90 cm.
  • The plant assumes a yellow coloring in the autumn and is not an evergreen.

Related Species and Habitats

  • Astragalus neglectus (Cooper's milk vetch) is another species found in similar habitats, such as limestone bedrock glades in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
  • Astragalus tennesseensis (Tennessee milkvetch) also grows in similar glade ecosystems.

Further Information

  • Discover Life offers information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Astragalus bibullatus.