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freckled milkvetch
Scientific Name: Astragalus lentiginosus var. variabilis
Family: Fabaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Annual, Perennial
Other Names:
Astragalus lentiginosus: Freckled Milkvetch
Astragalus lentiginosus is a fascinating member of the plant kingdom, commonly known as spotted locoweed or freckled milkvetch. It's a legume native to western North America.
Common Names
- Spotted Locoweed
- Freckled Milkvetch
- Rattleweed
- Loco Weed
- Specklepod Milkvetch
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Astragalus lentiginosus Douglas ex Hook.
- Family: Fabaceae (also known as Leguminosae) - Pea Family
- Synonyms: A. lentignosus diphysus. (Gray.)M.E.Jones
- Varieties:
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. palans (Freckled Milkvetch)
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. albifolius M.E. Jones – northern freckled milkvetch, Owen's Valley milkvetch, northern speckledpod milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus Douglas ex Hooker var. latus (M. E. Jones) M. E. Jones - Broad-pod Freckled Milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. negundo – Box Elder Freckled Milkvetch
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. idriensis, Freckled milkvetch, New Idria milk
- Astragalus lentiginosus var. fremontii a/k/a Fremont's Milkvetch
- USDA Symbol: ASLE8
Distribution and Habitat
This species is native to western North America. It is found in:
- Canada (British Columbia)
- Mexico
- United States (including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa)
- Grows in dry, open areas, including the Mojave Desert at elevations below 12,000 feet.
- Often found in semi-desert openings, such as those in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.
- Can be found growing under the shade of oaks and junipers on slopes.
Morphological Characteristics
- Perennial herbs from a taproot, typically growing to 6.3 inches to 2 feet (1.6 to 6 dm) tall.
- Stems can be prostrate to ascending, hairless or coated with silver hairs.
- Leaves are linear to widely oval, divided into 19 oval leaflets. Leaves grow to 5/8 inches in length.
Ecological Role
- Endangered Status: Certain subspecies, like the Coachella Valley Milk-vetch and the Fish Slough Milk-vetch, are listed as endangered in the U.S.
Additional Information
- Blooms typically occur from April to July.
- Flowers are often purple, and seed pods are hairy and freckled with red.
- It grows to 16 inches in height and has dark green, oval leaves which grow to 5/8 inches in