Darwin Mesa Milk-Vetch
(Astragalus atratus var. mensanus )
Fabaceae

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Description: Perennial herb with minute, stiff, straight, sharp hairs. Stems slender, 1 1/8 - 10 inches (3-25cm) long. Leaves 5/8 - 6 inches (1.5-15cm) long, with 7 - 15 leaflets. Leaflets long and narrow to pear-shaped, with a short, sharp tip, 1/8 - 5/8 inches (3-16mm) long. Inflorescence is a raceme with 4-18 flowers. Petals are lilac-purple, with the largest petal 3/8 - 1/2 inch (10-13mm) long. Fruit is a drooping, long and narrow to oblong-shape pod, 5/8 - 7/8 inches (12-16mm) long, 1/8 - 3/16 inches (about 4mm) wide.

Distribution:

Habitat: Pinyon pine, sagebrush scrub, volcanic clay, gravelly. Elevation 4288 - 7408.

Flowering Period: Blooms April - June.

Similar Plants:

Status: BLM Sensitive, California Native Plant Society List 1B