Astragalus ertterae

Walker Pass milkvetch

Critically Imperiled  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Astragalus
Species:
A. ertterae
Binomial name
Astragalus ertterae
Barneby & Shevock

Astragalus ertterae is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Walker Pass milkvetch. It is endemic to California, where it is known from only three occurrences near Walker Pass in the Sierra Nevada. It is endangered by trampling, trail use, and also grazing.[1]

It is only found in the northeast corner of Kern county, in the Sierra Nevada. Its bloom period is April and May.[2]

Description

Astragalus ertterae is hairy perennial herb with a stem no more than 10 centimeters long, much of which grows underground. There are 4 or 5 leaves which are a few centimeters long and made up of several oval-shaped leaflets. The dense inflorescence holds up to 17 cream-colored flowers, each about a centimeter long. The fruit is a swollen, hairless legume pod which dries to a leathery texture.

It is closely morphologically related to Astragalus bicristatus.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Astragalus ertterae, Walker Pass milkvetch". www.fs.usda.gov. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  2. ^ "Astragalus ertterae Calflora". www.calflora.org. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  3. ^ Barneby, Rupert; Shevock, James (1987-01-01). "Astralagus ertterae (Fabaceae), a New Species from the Southern Sierra Nevada". Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany. 11 (4): 585–588. doi:10.5642/aliso.19871104.13. ISSN 0065-6275. S2CID 90788555.


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