Taxon Report

Astragalus preussii Gray var. preussii

Preuss' milk-vetch

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Taxon Summary

Astragalus preussii var. preussii, commonly known as Preuss' milk-vetch, is a perennial herb in the Fabaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Chenopod scrub, and Mojavean desert scrub, growing at elevations from 750 to 805 meters. Astragalus preussii var. preussii is ranked 2B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Astragalus preussii Gray var. preussii
Common Name:
Preuss' milk-vetch
Family: Fabaceae
Element Code: PDFAB0F722
USDA Plants Symbol: ASPRP3
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial herb
Blooming Period: Apr-Jun Apr-Jun
Elevation: 750-805 (2460-2640)
General Habitats: Chenopod scrub, Mojavean desert scrub
Microhabitat: Clay
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status

CA Rare Plant Rank: 2B.1
Global Rank: G4T4
State Rank:
S1
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status: SB_CalBG/RSABG
CRPR Changes:
  • changed from 2.1 to 2B.1 on 2013-06-12
  • changed from 2.3 to 2.1 on 2012-02-14

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 22
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 1
   Good (B) 6
   Fair (C) 7
   Poor (D) 5
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 3
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Inyo (INY), San Bernardino (SBD)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Calvada Springs (3511588), Mesquite Lake (3511565), Mesquite Mountains (3511566), Mound Spring (3611518), Nopah Peak (3611611), Shenandoah Peak (3511575), Sixmile Spring (3611621), West of Shenandoah Peak (3511576)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 6
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
18 82 %
Non-native plant impacts 13 59%
ORV activity 11 50%
Road/trail construction/maint. 11 50%
Development 4 18%
Agriculture 3 13%
Other 1 4%

Notes

Threatened by solar energy development, vehicles, and non-native plants. Field work needed. See Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 6:222 (1864) for original description, and Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 13:575-576 (1964) for taxonomic treatment.
Threats:
Taxonomy:
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 5 February 2025].