Taxon Report

Astragalus nyensis Barneby

Nye milk-vetch

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Taxon Summary

Astragalus nyensis, commonly known as Nye milk-vetch, is a annual herb in the Fabaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Mojavean desert scrub, growing at elevations from 790 to 815 meters. Astragalus nyensis is ranked 1B.1, Plants Rare, Threatened or Endangered in California and Elsewhere; Seriously threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Astragalus nyensis Barneby
Common Name:
Nye milk-vetch
Family: Fabaceae
Element Code: PDFAB0F660
USDA Plants Symbol: ASNY2
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: annual herb
Blooming Period: Apr-May Apr-May
Elevation: 790-815 (2590-2675)
General Habitats: Mojavean desert scrub
Microhabitat: Alkaline (sometimes), Gravelly, Sandy
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status

CA Rare Plant Rank: 1B.1
Global Rank: G3?
State Rank:
S1
State List: None
Fed List: None
Other Status: BLM_S; SB_CalBG/RSABG
CRPR Changes:
  • added to 1B.1 on 2011-12-27

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 19
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 8
   Fair (C) 9
   Poor (D) 2
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 0
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Inyo (INY)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Calvada Springs (3511588), Mound Spring (3611518), Stump Spring, Nev. (3511587)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 3
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
19 100 %
Non-native plant impacts 19 100%
ORV activity 18 94%
Development 1 5%

Notes

Discovered in CA in 2011; known in CA only from Pahrump Valley. Seriously threatened by solar energy development. Possibly threatened by non-native plants. Similar to A. acutirostris and A. nuttallianus var. imperfectus. Not in The Jepson Manual (1993) and TJM 2. See Leaflets of Western Botany 3(5):97-114 (1942) for original description, and Leaflets of Western Botany 7(8):192-196 (1954) and Brittonia 42(2):100-104 (1990) for taxonomic treatments.
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 4 April 2025].