Home/Species/ Mesic Milkvetch

Astragalus diversifolius

Gray

Mesic Milkvetch

G2Imperiled Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →

G2ImperiledGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.144195

Element CodePDFAB0F2Z0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassDicotyledoneae

OrderFabales

FamilyFabaceae

GenusAstragalus

Synonyms

Astragalus diversifolius var. diversifolius

Other Common Names

meadow milkvetch (EN) Meadow 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 MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Excel v3.1x

Review Date2016-05-27

Change Date2002-10-09

Edition Date2016-05-27

Edition AuthorsBroaddus, Lynn (1991), rev. L. Morse (1994), rev. A. Olivero (2003), rev. B. Heidel (2009), rev. L. Oliver (2016)

Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences6 - 20

Rank Reasons

Apparently quite rare. Currently known only from southeastern Idaho (valleys of the Lost and Lemhi Rivers, and upper Snake River Plains), the western edge of the Great Salt Lake Desert in Utah, and from Spring Valley in White Pine County, Nevada (Barneby 1964; Cronquist 1989) and six occurrences in the Great Divide Basin, Wyoming. Threatened by habitat loss to agriculture and livestock grazing.

Range Extent Comments

East-central Idaho, the south edge of the Salt Lake Desert in Utah, southern Nevada, south-central Wyoming and a historical report in southwest Wyoming.

Occurrences Comments

There are 16 occurrences of this species as of 2015 (Heidel 2015). In a 2015 study, 2 new occurrences were discovered in Wyoming (Heidel 2015), but most of the occurrences are known from Idaho.

Threat Impact Comments

Considered very threatened in Idaho and Utah due to habitat loss to agriculture (Handley and Fertig 2001). It is threatened in Wyoming by alteration of the natural hydrology, typically in activities that draw water away for other uses. The most common water altering activity is stock pond management which negatively impacts the habitat suitability upstream and downstream of the inundation zone. Ditching and draining also have caused hydrology changes. These threats as well as oil, gas, and uranium drilling are all reported by Heidel (2015). Lastly, noxious weeds that are salt-tolerant are a threat to this species.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Moist, often alkaline meadows and swales in sagebrush valleys or closed drainage basins (4400-6620 ft) (Barneby, 1964, Heidel 2009).

Terrestrial Habitats

Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceous

Palustrine Habitats

HERBACEOUS WETLAND

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN2

Province	Rank	Native
Wyoming	S2	Yes
Utah	S1	Yes
Idaho	S1	Yes
Nevada	S1	Yes

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
3 - Energy production & mining	—	—	—
3.1 - Oil & gas drilling	Large (31-70%)	Serious or 31-70% pop. decline	Unknown
3.2 - Mining & quarrying	Large (31-70%)	Serious - slight	Unknown
7 - Natural system modifications	Large (31-70%)	Serious - moderate	Unknown
7.2 - Dams & water management/use	—	—	—
7.2.3 - Abstraction of surface water (agricultural use)	Large (31-70%)	Serious or 31-70% pop. decline	Unknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	—	—	—
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Restricted (11-30%)	Serious - slight	Unknown

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)Yes

Roadless Areas (1)

Montana (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Italian Peak	Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest	90,401

References (5)

Barneby, R.C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. 2 Vols. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. 1188 pp.
Barneby, R.C. 1989. Fabales. In A. Cronquist, A.H. Holmgren, N.H. Holmgren, J.L. Reveal, and P.K. Holmgren (eds.). Intermountain flora: Vascular plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. Vol. 3, Part B. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 279 pp.
Handley, J., and W. Fertig. 2001. November 10-last update. Astragalus diversifolius State Species Abstract. Online. Available: http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/WYNDD/PDF_files/Plant_Summaries/A/Astragalus%20diversifolius%20diversifolius.pdf. Accessed 2003, May 2.
Heidel, B. 2015. Inventory of alkaline meadows for BLM Sensitive plant species: Antennaria arcuata (Meadow pussytoes), Astragalus diversifolius (Meadow milkvetch) and Cleome multicaulis (Many-stemmed spiderflower), with field-testing of potential distribution models; Fremont and Sweetwater Counties, Wyoming. Accessed online on 5_27_16 at: http://www.uwyo.edu/wyndd/_files/docs/reports/wynddreports/u15hei03wyus.pdf
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.

Astragalus diversifolius

Habitat

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