Species Information
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Anthophyta
Class: Dicotyledoneae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Astragalus
Species: knightii
Knight Milkvetch - Astragalus knightii
Image courtesy of New Mexico Rare Plants
291776
Species Extent (New Mexico)
General Description
Tufted perennial herb; stems numerous, ascending, 1-5 cm long, arising from a taproot; herbage gray-strigose with dolabriform hairs; stipules of the lower nodes connate; leaves pinnately compound, 2.5-8.5 cm long; stalks long, wiry, and sometimes persistent on the caudex; leaflets 9-15, narrowly elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 2-8 mm long; calyx 3-4 mm long, bell-shaped; petals whitish, lilac-tinged along the margins, lower petal purple tipped, banner bent upward 45 degrees, 5-6 mm long; pods pendulous, narrowly obovoid-ellipsoid, turgid or almost bladdery, 8-14 mm long, 4-6 mm wide, red spotted. Flowers May to early June.
Status
Global Rank: G2
State Rank: S2
| Rank Metadata | |
|---|---|
| State Rank: S2 | Rank Changed: 10/12/1982 |
| Rank Reviewed: 01/26/2024 | |
| Reason: Rank was last reviewed in 1982, when the species was described. The known range has not changed much in that time. The species has a limited distribution, lack of protection, and there is a lack of information on its abundance and threats (Roth 2017). |
| Ecological Factors | |
|---|---|
| Specificity: Narrow. Specialist or community with key requirements common. | Range Extent: 100-250 square km (about 40-100 square miles) |
| Occurences: 6 - 20 | Population Size: 2500 - 10,000 individuals |
| Area of Occupancy: Summed Biotics EO areas. | Threat Summary: Roads & railroads - Medium | Transportation & service corridors - Medium |
State Status:
Observations in Natural Heritage New Mexico Database
Number of Subpopulations: 6
Number of Mapped Locations: 15
Number of Observations: 25
Observation date range: 05-27-1975 to 05-25-2016
External Links
View More Information about this species at:
NatureServe Explorer
New Mexico Rare Plants Website
Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS)
NatureServe Explorer
New Mexico Rare Plants Website
Environmental Conservation Online System (ECOS)