Astragalus naturitensis (Naturita Milkvetch)

Photograph by ©Al Schneider at www.swcoloradowildflowers.com (2010)

Family

FABACEAE

Scientific Name with Author

Astragalus naturitensis Payson

Synonyms

ASTRAGALUS ARIETINUS VAR. STIPULARIS M.E. JONES

Common Name

Naturita Milkvetch

Agency Status
USFWS	State of NM	USFS	BLM	Navajo Nation	State Rank	Global Rank	R-E-D Code	NMRPTC Status	Strategy Status
				GP 3	S1	G3	1-1-2	R	SS

Rare Plant Conservation Scorecard Summary
Overall Conservation Status	Documented Threats	Actions Needed
UNDER CONSERVED	Oil & gas development	document rarity and threat impacts

To download the Scorecard click here.

Counties

Description

Low, subacaulescent perennial, about 10 cm tall; stems 2-6 cm long; leaves to 6 cm long; leaflets 9-15 , strigose with straight, overlapping hairs; flowers 3 -11, pea-like, less than 14 mm long; petals bi-colored, banner white with lilac streaks, wings and keel-tips purple; pods leathery, strigose, curved. Flowers late April and May.

Similar Species

Astragalus cottamii has purple banner petals differing from the whitish banner petals of A. naturitensis. Astragalus deterior is distinguished by its yellowish-white flowers.

Distribution

New Mexico, McKinley and San Juan counties; southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah.

Habitat

Sandstone ledges and rimrock along canyons in piñon-juniper woodland; 1,630-1,880 m (5,400-6,200 ft).

Remarks

None

Conservation Considerations

Occurs within areas of active energy development, but generally not threatened by the current land uses within its habitats.

Important Literature

*New Mexico Native Plants Protection Advisory Committee. 1984. A handbook of rare and endemic plants of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.

Barneby, R.C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 13:1-1188.

Isely, D. 1998. Native and naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the United States. Monte L. Beane Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

*Ecosphere Environmental Services, Inc. 1995. The Farmington District endangered, threatened and sensitive plant field guide. Bureau of Land Management, Farmington District, Farmington, New Mexico.

Peterson, J.S., B.C. Johnston and W. Harmon. 1981. Status report: Astragalus naturitensis. Colorado Natural Areas Program, Department of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Inventory, Denver, Colorado.

Information Compiled By

Daniela Roth 1999

For distribution maps and more information, visit Natural Heritage New Mexico