Heliotrope Milkvetch
Astragalus montii
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G3
State (S-rank): S3
Utah Wildlife Action Plan status
- SGCN
External links
General information
Astragalus montii is known from Sanpete and Sevier Counties, Utah where it is found only on the Wasatch Pleateau. This species is often associated with spruce-fir forest openings and plateau margin habitat. Heliotrope Milkvetch is a high elevation gem with showy bright purple flowers and white tipped wing petals that help us identify this species when it is in flower. The fruits that spill out around the base of the plant are often abundant and look like tiny red speckled eggs surrounding a nest of upright leaves. This plant is memorable to come across for its form alone but it is also a long lived species, and knowing this might make you wonder how long each precious individual plant has been surviving there.
Description
Astragalus montii is known from Sanpete and Sevier Counties, Utah where it is found only on the Wasatch Pleateau. This species is often associated with spruce-fir forest openings and plateau margin habitat. Heliotrope Milkvetch is a high elevation gem with showy bright purple flowers and white tipped wing petals that help us identify this species when it is in flower. The fruits that spill out around the base of the plant are often abundant and look like tiny red speckled eggs surrounding a nest of upright leaves. This plant is memorable to come across for its form alone but it is also a long lived species, and knowing this might make you wonder how long each precious individual plant has been surviving there.
Phenology
Flowers from June to August
Diagnostic characteristics
A. montii is unlikely to be confused with anything within its range. However, it bears heavy resemblance to the two varieties of A. limnocharis, from which it was split due to the white tips on the wing petals and shorter, stiffer hairs on leaf margins.
Species range
Occurs on the southern Wasatch Plateau on Ferron, Heliotrope and White mountains in Sanpete and Sevier Counties (Franklin, 2005).
Threats or limiting factors
Primary threat is from energy development on Forest Service land. Degradation of habitat by disturbances, like from grazing related impacts, results in an increase of exposed mineral soils and a shift in species composition (Franklin 2005).
Taxonomy
No, this species does not have taxonomic discrepancies