Astragalus musiniensis
Astragalus musiniensis, commonly known as Ferron's milkvetch, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is endemic to the western United States, where it occurs in central and southern Utah and western Colorado.
Description
Astragalus musiniensis is a perennial, acaulescent (stemless) herb typically 3 to 13 cm tall. The leaves are pinnate, up to 13 cm long, with 1 to 5 stiff-haired leaflets. The flowers are pink and relatively large, measuring approximately 20–28 mm in length.
Distribution and habitat
Astragalus musiniensis is endemic to the western United States, where it occurs in central and south-central Utah and adjacent western Colorado.
It grows in desert and semi-desert habitats, including salt desert shrub, mixed desert shrub, and pinyon–juniper woodlands, typically on fine-textured substrates such as shale, sandstone, and alluvium at elevations of approximately 1,400 to 2,400 m.
Ecology
The species flowers from late April to early June. It is adapted to arid environments of the Colorado Plateau and is commonly found in open shrubland and woodland communities.
Conservation
Astragalus musiniensis is ranked as vulnerable (G3) by NatureServe, indicating a moderate risk of extinction due to a restricted range and limited number of populations. It is known from approximately 20 to 80 occurrences across its range.
The species faces a variety of potential threats, including grazing, energy development, road construction, invasive species, off-road vehicle use, wildfire, and long-term drought associated with climate change. Many populations occur on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and other agencies, though long-term trends remain poorly understood.
It is considered critically imperiled (S1) in Colorado and vulnerable (S3) in Utah.
Taxonomy
The species was first described by Marcus E. Jones in 1895.
A homotypic synonym, Xylophacos musiniensis, has been published, reflecting historical taxonomic treatments within the genus.
References
musiniensis Category:Flora of Utah Category:Flora of Colorado Category:Plants described in 1895