Kingdom Plantae Family Fabaceae Scientific name Astragalus holmgreniorum | Order Fabales Genus Astragalus Rank Species | |
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Similar Astragalus ampullarioides, Astragalus desereticus, Astragalus montii, Astragalus anserinus | ||
Astragalus holmgreniorum is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common names Holmgren milkvetch and paradox milkvetch. It is native to a tiny section of desert shrub woodland on the border between Utah and Arizona, in the far northern Mojave Desert. There are six populations remaining. It is a federally listed endangered species.
This is a perennial herb with no stem, just leaves emerging directly from the root crown. The leaves are up to 13 centimeters long and are made up of several leaflets each measuring up to 1.6 centimeters in length. The inflorescence is a raceme of 6 to 16 flowers. Each pealike flower has a purple corolla about 2 centimeters long. The peduncle bends down and lies on the ground as the fruits develop. Each fruit is a legume pod up to 5 centimeters long.
Threats to the existence of this species include damage to the habitat from off-road vehicles, highway maintenance, power line installation, and grazing, and invasion by introduced species.