Astragalus deanei
Encyclopedia
Astragalus deanei is a rare species of milkvetch
known by the common name Dean's milkvetch, or Deane's milkvetch. It is endemic to southern San Diego County, California
, where it grows on the slopes of the Peninsular Ranges
between El Cajon
and Tecate
.
It is mostly hairless perennial herb growing erect to heights between 30 and 60 centimeters. The leaves are up to 18 centimeters long and are made up of oval-shaped leaflets with prominent midribs. The open inflorescence
holds up to 25 whitish flowers, each 1 to 1.5 centimeters long.
The fruit is an inflated legume pod 1.5 to 3 centimeters long which dries to a thin, papery texture. Its single chamber contains many seeds.
Astragalus
Astragalus is a large genus of about 3,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
known by the common name Dean's milkvetch, or Deane's milkvetch. It is endemic to southern San Diego County, California
San Diego County, California
San Diego County is a large county located in the southwestern corner of the US state of California. Hence, San Diego County is also located in the southwestern corner of the 48 contiguous United States. Its county seat and largest city is San Diego. Its population was about 2,813,835 in the 2000...
, where it grows on the slopes of the Peninsular Ranges
Peninsular Ranges
The Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, which stretch from southern California in the United States to the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula; they are part of the North American Coast Ranges that run along the Pacific coast from Alaska...
between El Cajon
El Cajon, California
-History:El Cajon is located on the Rancho El Cajon Mexican land grant made in 1845 to María Antonia Estudillo, wife of Miguel Pedrorena. In 1876 Amaziah Lord Knox , a New Englander who had recently moved to California, established a hotel there to serve the growing number of people traveling...
and Tecate
Tecate, California
Tecate is an unincorporated community in the Mountain Empire area of southeastern San Diego County, California, directly adjacent to the Mexican city of Tecate, Baja California. The area is best known for its border crossing between the United States and Mexico, and nearby Tecate Peak.The...
.
It is mostly hairless perennial herb growing erect to heights between 30 and 60 centimeters. The leaves are up to 18 centimeters long and are made up of oval-shaped leaflets with prominent midribs. The open inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
holds up to 25 whitish flowers, each 1 to 1.5 centimeters long.
The fruit is an inflated legume pod 1.5 to 3 centimeters long which dries to a thin, papery texture. Its single chamber contains many seeds.