Home/Species/ Heliotrope Milkvetch

Astragalus montii

Welsh

Heliotrope Milkvetch

G3Vulnerable Found in 9 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G3VulnerableGlobal Rank

LowThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1142811

Element CodePDFAB0FBU1

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicendemic to a single state or province

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderFabales

FamilyFabaceae

GenusAstragalus

Synonyms

Astragalus limnocharis var. montii(Welsh) Isely

Concept Reference

Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins. (Eds). 2015. A Utah flora, fifth edition, revised 2015. Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Provo, Utah. 987 pp.

Taxonomic Comments

Welsh et al. (2015) recognize Astragalus montii and Astragalus limnocharis var. tabulaeus as distinct taxa. In contrast, Kartesz (1994, 1999) included A. limnocharis var. tabulaeus in A. limnocharis var. montii.

Conservation Status

Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2

Review Date2021-11-09

Change Date2020-06-02

Edition Date2021-11-16

Edition AuthorsRoth, E. (1991), rev. Atwood, Broaddus, rev. B. Franklin (1996), rev. A. Treher (2011), rev. A. Tomaino (2020), rev. M. McCormick (2021)

Threat ImpactLow

Range Extent<100 square km (less than about 40 square miles)

Number of Occurrences1 - 5

Rank Reasons

Astragalus montii is a small perennial herb endemic to the Wasatch Plateau of central Utah (Sanpete and Sevier counties), where there are four populations known. Although it is locally abundant, it is restricted to a very specific habitat which is of limited extent. Threats are relatively low and include grazing.

Range Extent Comments

Astragalus montii occurs on the southern Wasatch Plateau, on Ferron, Heliotrope and White mountains, in Sanpete and Sevier counties, Utah (Tuhy 1988). In 2017, a second location on the eastern most plateau of Ferron mountain was discovered where previous surveys in 1988 had noted potential habitat, but had not located any plants in that area (McCormick et al. 2018).

Occurrences Comments

There are four known populations: Big Flat Meadow on Heliotrope Mountain, the head of Mill Stream between Heliotrope and Ferron Mountain, the eastern most plateau of Ferron Mountain and White Mountain (McCormick et al. 2018).

Threat Impact Comments

Grazing by sheep and cows is a threat to Astragalus montii. Degradation of habitat by disturbances, like trailing and bedding by domestic sheep, results in an increase of exposed mineral soils and a shift in species composition (Franklin 2005). The species is potentially threatened from energy development on Forest Service land and trampling from recreation. As of 2020, ATV roads appear to have been successfully closed (pers comm. McCormick 2020).

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

The habitat for Astragalus montii is high elevation barren areas in communities of cushion plants and other low-growing species scattered within a more extensive subalpine conifer forest. It occurs on shallow, very rocky soils derived from Flagstaff Limestone (Franklin 2005; Tuhy 1988). It is known only from Tertiary Flagstaff Limestone, in openings in spruce-fir forest or at plateau margins, at approximately 3,350 to 3,450 meters elevation (Welsh et al. 2015).

Terrestrial Habitats

Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferBarrens

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN3

Province	Rank	Native
Utah	S3	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
2 - Agriculture & aquaculture	Restricted (11-30%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranching	Restricted (11-30%)	Moderate or 11-30% pop. decline	High (continuing)
3 - Energy production & mining	Large (31-70%)	Serious or 31-70% pop. decline	Unknown
3.1 - Oil & gas drilling	Large (31-70%)	Serious or 31-70% pop. decline	Unknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbance	Negligible (<1%)	Negligible or <1% pop. decline	—
6.1 - Recreational activities	Negligible (<1%)	Negligible or <1% pop. decline	—

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL, Long-lived

Economic Value (Genus)Yes

Roadless Areas (9)

South Dakota (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Indian Creek	Buffalo Gap National Grassland	24,666

Utah (8)

Area	Forest	Acres
Big Bear Creek	Manti-Lasal National Forest	28,440
Boulger - Black Canyon	Manti-Lasal National Forest	23,286
East Mountain	Manti-Lasal National Forest	30,705
Muddy Creek - Nelson Mt.	Manti-Lasal National Forest	59,034
Muddy Creek - Nelson Mt.	Manti-Lasal National Forest	59,034
Musinia Peak	Fishlake National Forest	6,746
White Mountain	Fishlake National Forest	23,939
White Mountain	Fishlake National Forest	23,939

References (11)

Franklin, M.A. 2005. Plant information compiled by the Utah Natural Heritage Program: A progress report. Publication Number 05-40. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Salt Lake City, Utah. 341 pp. [http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/ucdc/ViewReports/plantrpt.htm]
Geer, S. M., V. J. Tepedino, T. L. Griswold, and W. R. Bowlin. 1995. Pollinator sharing by three sympatric Milkvetches,including the endangered species Astragalus montii. Great Basin Naturalist 55(1):19-28.
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.
Lowe, D.W., J.R. Matthews, and C.J. Moseley, eds. 1990. The official World Wildlife Fund guide to endangered species of North America. Beacham Publishing, Washington, D.C. 1180 pp.
McCormick, M., B. Wellard, and M. Wheeler. 2018. 2017 Heliotrope Milkvetch (<i>Astragalus montii</i>) Status Report. Unpublished field report of the Utah Heritage Program.
McCormick, Meghan and Wheeler, Mindy. 2019. Heliotrope Milkvetch (Astragalus montii) 2018 Update. Unpublished report of the Utah Heritage Program.
Tuhy, J.S. 1988. Astragalus montii Welsh (Heliotrope milkvetch) on the Ferron Ranger District, Manti-La Sal National Forest. Final report of 1988 Challenge Grant Project. Utah Natural Heritage Program, Salt Lake City. 53 pp. + appendices.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1987. Final rule to determine <i>Astragalus montii </i>(heliotrope milkvetch) to be a threatened species, with designation of critical habitat. Federal Register. 52(215):42652-42657.
Utah Native Plant Society (UNPS). 2003-2021. Utah rare plant guide. A.J. Frates editor/coordinator. Salt Lake City, UT. Utah Native Plant Society. Online. Available: https://www.utahrareplants.org (accessed 2021).
Utah Natural Heritage Program. 2021. Utah Rare Plant Database (accessed 2021).
Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins. (Eds). 2015. A Utah flora, fifth edition, revised 2015. Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Provo, Utah. 987 pp.

Astragalus montii

Habitat

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