GEYER'S MILKVETCH 

 Astragalus qeyeri 



CLASSIFICATION 



1. FAMILY: Fabaceae; Bean Family. 



2. GENUS: Astragalus geyeri is one of ca . 2,000 species in 

 this large genus worldwide. Roughly 550 species occur m 

 North America (Barneby 1964), with 47 species found in 

 Montana (Dorn 1984). 



3. SPECIES: Astragalus geyeri is named after 



PRESENT LEGAL OR OTHER FORMAL STATUS 



1. FEDERAL STATUS 



a. U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE: none 



b. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT: Proposed sensitive (Miles City 

 District) ; proposed watch (Big Dry District) . 



2. STATE: The state rank is S2 (imperiled) based on nine 

 occurrences (two historic) , small population sizes, and 

 vulnerability to encroachment by exotics. 



DESCRIPTION 



1. GENERAL NONTECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Gayer ' s milkvetchis an 

 annual with spreading to erect stems 5-20 cm (2-7.9 in) 

 tall. Its 5-13 leaflets are distinct from the rachis, are 

 linear to oblong, and have pubesence with the hair ends 

 affixed to the leaf. The infloresence is few-flowered and 

 overtopped by the leaves. The small flowers are 6-8 mm 

 (.25-. 3 in) long, v/ith yellow to lavendar hues. The pod is 

 sessile, ca. 2 cm (.8 in) long, membranous, very inflated, 

 and with only one chamber. 



2. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Grayish-strigose to greenish annual 

 with spreading to erect stems 5-20 cm (2-7.9 in) long; 

 leaflets 5-13, linear to oblong, obtuse to retuse, 5-15 mm 

 (.2-. 6 in) long; raceme 2- to 7-f lowered, shorter than the 

 leaves; flowers 6-8 mm (.25-. 3 in) long, ochroleucous to 

 pale lavender; calyx scarcely half as long as the corolla, 

 the short linear-lanceolate teeth about 1/3 as long as the 

 tube; pods sessile, about 2 cm (.3 in) long, membranous, 

 greatly inflated, slightly compressed, oblique, from 



