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Home/Species/ Gambel's Dwarf Milkvetch

Astragalus gambelianus

Sheldon

Gambel's Dwarf Milkvetch

G5Secure Found in 6 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.129246
Element CodePDFAB0F3L0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderFabales
FamilyFabaceae
GenusAstragalus
Other Common Names
Gambel's dwarf 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.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2023-08-18
Change Date1988-08-01
Edition Date2023-08-18
Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2023).
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Astragalus gambelianus occurs in western North America, in Baja California, California, extending north into southern Oregon. There are more than 300 occurrences, and it occurs on various federal and state conservation lands. Threats may include loss of habitat from residential development, recreation impacts from OHVs, and competition from invasive exotic plants.
Range Extent Comments
Astragalus gambelianus occurs in western North America, in Baja California, California, extending north into southern Oregon. Range extent was estimated to be 370,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1992 and 2023 (CCH2 Portal 2023, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023, Villaseñor 2016).
Occurrences Comments
Based on NatureServe Network occurrence data, herbarium records, and photo-based observations of Astragalus gambelianus documented between 1992 and 2023, and anecdotal evidence, there are over 300 occurrences rangewide (CCH2 Portal 2023, GBIF 2023, iNaturalist 2023, NatureServe 2023).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats may include loss of habitat from residential development, recreation impacts from OHVs, and competition from invasive exotic plants.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species is found in open, grassy areas, as well as in scrub and chaparral habitats, at elevations from 50 to 1450 meters, but few locations are above 700 meters (CCH2 Portal 2023, Wojciechowski and Spellenberg 2012).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceous
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
OregonS1Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesSmall (1-10%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (6)
California (6)
AreaForestAcres
De La GuerraLos Padres National Forest5,418
IshiLassen National Forest21,805
Machesna MountainLos Padres National Forest12,271
Mill CreekSequoia National Forest27,643
Pilot CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,192
Thomes CreekMendocino National Forest16,616
References (7)
  1. CCH2 Portal. 2023. Consortium of California Herbaria. Online. Available: https//:www.cch2.org/portal/index.php (accessed 2023).
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2023. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2023).
  3. iNaturalist. 2023. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2023).
  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. NatureServe. 2023. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. Villaseñor, J.L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.
  7. Wojciechowski, M.F. and R. Spellenberg. 2012. <i>Astragalus gambelianus</i>, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=14840, accessed on September 06, 2022.