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freckled milkvetch
Scientific Name: Astragalus lentiginosus var. micans
Family: Fabaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Astragalus lentiginosus: Spotted Locoweed and Freckled Milkvetch
Astragalus lentiginosus, a member of the pea family, is known by several common names, including spotted locoweed and freckled milkvetch. It is a species of legume native to western North America.
Considerations for Pets
- The plant is also referred to as \"rattle pod,\" suggesting the presence of seed pods that might be attractive to pets but could pose a choking hazard.
- The text mentions that after eating this plant cattle and horses... (the sentence is incomplete, but implies a potential issue)
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Astragalus lentiginosus Douglas ex Hook.
- Family: Fabaceae (also known as Leguminosae), the Pea Family
- Common Names: Spotted locoweed, freckled milkvetch, specklepod milkvetch, rattle pod, Specklepod loco milkvetch.
- Synonyms: A. lentignosus diphysus (Gray.)M.E.Jones.
- Varieties:
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius M.E. Jones – northern freckled milkvetch, Owen\'s Valley milkvetch, northern speckledpod milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. latus (M. E. Jones) M. E. Jones – broad-pod freckled milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. negundo – Box Elder Freckled Milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. palans (Freckled Milkvetch)
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. fremontii (a/k/a Fremont\'s Milkvetch)
- Astragalus lentiginosus nigricalycis
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to western North America.
- Found in dry, open areas, including the Mojave Desert, at elevations below 12,000 feet.
- Specific locations mentioned include:
- Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
- Great Basin National Park, Nevada
- Saline Valley, Death Valley National Park, Inyo Co., California
- John Day River, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
- Carrizo Plain, CA
- San Joaquin Valley
- Also found in Canada (British Columbia), Mexico, and the United States (including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, etc.)
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Perennial herb from a taproot, growing from 6.3 inches to 2 feet (1.6 to 6 dm) tall.
- Stems are prostrate to ascending, hairless or coated with silver hairs.
- Leaves are linear to widely oval, divided into 19 oval leaflets.
- Seed pods are approximately 1 inch long, hairy, and freckled with red.
- Blooms typically occur from April to July.
Ecological Role
- Grows in semi-desert environments.
- It is associated with dry, open areas and can be found growing under the shade of oaks and junipers.
- It\'s a legume, which means it can fix nitrogen in the soil.
Endangered Status
- The Coachella Valley Milk-vetch and the Fish Slough Milk-vetch, subspecies of the Freckled Milk-vetch, are on the U.S. Endangered Species list.