Astragalus collinus Douglas ex G. Don
Rattle milk-vetch (hillside milk-vetch)
Fabaceae (Pea family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Doug Skilton     (Photo ID #6733)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Astragalus collinus
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC

Astragalus collinus var. collinus

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a taproot and branching stem-base; stems several, clumped, spreading to erect, 10-50 cm tall, often branched, leafless on lower part, with fine, soft, curly, unbranched hairs.
Leaves:
Alternate, pinnately compound, 3-9 cm long, short-stalked; leaflets 11 to 21, oblanceolate to oblong, often notched at the tip, 8-20 mm long; stipules lanceolate, 2-5 mm long, not joined.
Flowers:
Inflorescence an axillary raceme of 15 to 40 nodding, pea-like flowers, the racemes compact at first then elongating, 4-12 cm long on stalks that are longer than the leaves; corollas creamy-white to yellowish with greenish tinges, 13-17 mm long, the stubby banner shorter than the wings, which barely exceed the blunt keel; calyces 7-10 mm long, downy with white and black hairs, the tube bulging on one side at the base, the lance-triangular teeth 1-3 mm long.
Fruits:
Pods, lance-oblong, drooping on stalks 5-15 mm long, straight or gently curved, 7-25 mm long, laterally flattened, with short, soft or appressed hairs, somewhat fleshy becoming leathery and net-veined, 1-chambered.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Astragalus collinus

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
717 387 1310
Slope Gradient (%)
24 0 80

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

173 1 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
3 1 5
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
60
Modal BEC Zone Class
BG

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

BG(37), ICH(2), IDF(9), MS(1), PP(11)

Habitat and Range

Dry grasslands, sagebrush flats and rocky slopes in the steppe and lower montane zones; locally common in SC BC; S to ID and NE OR.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia