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Home/Species/ Debris Milkvetch

Astragalus detritalis

M.E. Jones

Debris Milkvetch

G3Vulnerable Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.156187
Element CodePDFAB0F2V0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderFabales
FamilyFabaceae
GenusAstragalus
Other Common Names
debris milkvetch (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
Synonymous with Astragalus spectabilis and Homalobus detritalis. Similar in appearance to A. calycosus var. scaposus which has oval leaflets and smaller, densely strigose pods and A. spatulatus which has smaller flowers and much shorter pods.
Conservation Status
Review Date1998-11-16
Change Date1984-01-19
Edition Date1998-11-02
Edition AuthorsFayette, Kim
Rank Reasons
Colorado and Utah support the only occurrences for this species. There are at least 35 locations globally. However, specific occurrence information from Utah was not available and may increase the total number known.
Range Extent Comments
This species is found within the Uinta Basin in Duchesne and Uintah Counties, Utah, and Rio Blanco (Barneby 1964) and Moffat Counties, Colorado. It is a Uintah Basin endemic (Welsh et al. 1993).
Occurrences Comments
There are fifteen occurrences in Colorado from two counties. All of these were visited in the 70's and 80's (CNHP 1998). It is estimated that there are between 20-100 occurrences in Utah based on their rank of S3.
Threat Impact Comments
This species may not be able to tolerate overgrazing or the invasion of exotic species (Weber and Wingate 1978).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Stemless, erect, cushion-shaped perennial from 2 to 6 cm in height. Leaves with 3 to 5 narrowly oblanceolate to linear spinulose-tipped leaflets from 3 to 30 mm in length, with dolabriform hairs. Three to eight vivid pink-purple flowers produced in racemes; erect, sessile pods form in a close terminal cluster. The dark-colored, laterally-compressed pods are more than twice as long as wide, are not inflated and are unilocular. Pods are also slightly incurved, mottled, and sparsely strigose (Spackman et al. 1997, Ackerfield 2015).

Habitat

Found in pinyon-juniper and mixed desert shrub communities associated with Artemisia, Stipa, Phlox, Trifolium, and cactus species. Often in rocky soils ranging from sandy clays to sandy loams, and on alluvial terraces with cobbles from 5,400 to 7,200 feet (1,646 to 2,195 meters) elevation.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedDesert
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
UtahS2Yes
ColoradoS2Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (4)
Utah (4)
AreaForestAcres
0401009Ashley National Forest30,378
0401010Ashley National Forest21,886
0401011Ashley National Forest30,062
0419020Ashley National Forest355,684
References (6)
  1. Ackerfield, J. 2015. Flora of Colorado. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, TX. 818 pp.
  2. Barneby, R.C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. 2 Vols. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. 1188 pp.
  3. Goodrich, S., and E. Neese. 1986. Uinta Basin flora. U.S. Forest Service, Intermountain Region, Ogden, Utah. 320 pp.
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. Spackman, S., B. Jennings, J. Coles, C. Dawson, M. Minton, A. Kratz, and C. Spurrier. 1997. Colorado rare plant field guide. Prepared for Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by Colorado Natural Heritage Program.
  6. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins (eds.) 1993. A Utah flora. 2nd edition. Brigham Young Univ., Provo, Utah. 986 pp.