Astragalus villosus Michx.

Bearded Milk Vetch; Southern Milk Vetch

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Southern Milk Vetch is a native perennial in the Bean family (Fabaceae). It occurs in the southern third of Alabama. Southern Milk Vetch grows in xeric, sandy pine forests, in sand hills, on roadside banks, and in cemeteries. It is a short-lived perennial from a large tap root. Several decumbent stems 3-10 inches long radiate out from the crown. The stems are densely villous (covered in long soft hairs). The leaves are alternate, pinnately compound with 9-17 oval or orbicular leaflets. The leaflets are pubescent or glabrate above and pubescent below, especially on the midvein and along the margins. Flowers are produced in a terminal raceme of 5-20 flowers. The peduncle and calyx are densely villous. Flowers are a creamy yellow color. The fruit is a villous legume with 2-6 seed. Southern Milk Vetch is listed as an S2 species in Alabama (typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state), and as a G4 species globally (imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors).--A. Diamond

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Native S2 (State Rank) G4 (Global Rank)

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