About

Astragalus brauntonii is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Braunton's milkvetch. It is a short-lived perennial shrub with lilac flowers that is typically found on carbonate soils in fire-prone areas. It is an opportunistic pioneer species that usually appears in the aftermath of wildfires and other disturbances. It is known from fewer than 20 extant occurrences in the hills and mountains surrounding the Los Angeles Basin in Southern California, as well as an isolated population in northern Baja California.

Altered fire cycles, urban development, and habitat fragmentation all pose threats to the survival of the species. It is a federally listed endangered species in the United States.

Where it grows

Astragalus brauntonii is a plant of the coastal prairie grasslands, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral plant communities of the region. It is often found growing in disturbed areas, especially in carbonate soils areas. The 16 known remaining populations in California are found in the southwestern Transverse Ranges (eastern Santa Monica Mountains, east end Simi Hills, south base San Gabriel Mountains), northern Peninsular Ranges (northwest side Santa Ana Mountains) — within Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura Counties.

Other Astragalus plants

Astragalus aboriginum · Rogue River milkvetch · Sharp-leaved Milk Vetch · Sharpkeel milkvetch · Humboldt County milkvetch · Purple milkvetch · Cushenbury milkvetch · Astragalus alopecurus · Alpine milkvetch · Crescent milkvetch · Hermit Milkvetch · Anderson's milkvetch