Astragalus is a large genus of over 3,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae and the subfamily Faboideae. It is the largest genus of plants in terms of described species. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Common names include milkvetch, locoweed and goat's-thorn. Some pale-flowered vetches are similar in appearance, but they are more vine-like than Astragalus.
Lathyrus japonicus, the sea pea, beach pea, circumpolar pea or sea vetchling, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae, native to temperate coastal areas of the Northern Hemisphere, and Argentina.
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.
Astragalus casei is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Case's milkvetch. It is native to the Mojave Desert and its sky island woodlands of eastern California and western Nevada.
Astragalus cimae is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Cima milkvetch. It is native to the Mojave Desert and its sky island woodlands of eastern California western Nevada, especially on calcareous soils, including the Cima Dome area in the Mojave National Preserve.
Astragalus claranus 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 species.
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.
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.
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.
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 grassland habitat. This is a very small annual milkvetch which grows in a delicate mat with stems no longer than 10 cm (3.9 in). The leaves are a few centimeters long and are made up of small widely spaced leaflets. The inflorescence bears two to seven flowers which are purple, sometimes with paler colored edges on their petals. Each flower is generally less than 1 cm (0.39 in) long. The fruit is a crescent-shaped legume pod between 1 and 2 cm long.
Astragalus lentiginosus var. pseudiodanthus, synonym Astragalus pseudiodanthus, is a variety of the species Astragalus lentiginosus, a milkvetch. It is known by the common name Tonopah milkvetch. It is native to the Great Basin deserts of Nevada and eastern California, such as the Tonopah area, where it grows in sandy habitat.
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 such as the Central Valley, especially in moist places.
Astragalus tricarinatus is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name triplerib milkvetch, or triple-ribbed milkvetch.
Astragalus applegatei is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Applegate's milkvetch. Its scientific name is also spelt Astragalus applegatii. It is endemic to Klamath County, Oregon, where it is known from three populations, one of which is made up of only three plants. Much of the remaining habitat is seriously threatened by development, introduced plant species, and other forces. This is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.
Astragalus cicer, the chickpea milkvetch, chick-pea milk-vetch or cicer milkvetch, is a perennial flowering plant native to Eastern Europe, popularized and subsequently transported to areas in Southern Europe, North America, and South America. It produces pods that resemble those of chickpeas. Its flowers are usually of pale yellow tint, and attract bumble or European honey bees for pollination. Growth often exceeds 0.6 meters, up to a height of 1 meter in length.
Astragalus microcymbus is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name Skiff Milkvetch. It is endemic to Colorado in the United States, where it is known from Gunnison County and the edge of Saguache County. It was discovered in 1945 by Rupert Barneby, a British botanist. Currently, Skiff Milkvetch is experiencing population declines and is listed as Threatened.
Astragalus alopecurus, synonym Astragalus centralpinus, is a species of milkvetch in the family Fabaceae.
Astragalus paradoxus is a species of milkvetch in the family Fabaceae.Endangered species with fragmented area of distribution.
Astragalus danicus, known as purple milk-vetch, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae (legumes), which is native to Europe.
Astragalus tweedyi, or Tweedy's milkvetch, is a perennial herb in the pea family. It is native to Washington and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
