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Plant Profile

Cliff-palace Milkvetch (Astragalus deterior)

Global Rank: G1 - Critically Imperiled
Legal Status: N/A
Family: Fabaceae
State: CO
Nature Serve ID: 129249
Lifeform: Forb/herb
Date Inducted in National Collection: 03/08/1989

Description:

The Cliff Place milkvetch is an upright perennial and member of the Pea Family. It was first discovered in 1943 by Rupert Barneby, but considered a variety of Astragalus naturitensis for a few years until it was renamed by Barneby. This species is found close to some of the most spectacular Anasazi cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park. The plant is very small, usually less than 5 cm long and has appressed leaf hairs. In May, it produces small, cream colored flowers with a few purple markings. This milkvetch produces red-mottled, gently incurved pods of papery texture in late May to June (Spackman 1997 and Von Bargen 1997).

Where is Cliff-palace Milkvetch (Astragalus deterior) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Populations occur in sand-filled depressions of flat rimrocks, on cliff, and on loose, sandy talus, and are always associated with the white zone of the Upper Cliff House Sandstone. Elev. 6400-7000 ft. (Von Bargen 1997 and Spackman 1997).

Distribution:

Cliff Palace milkvetch is a very narrow endemic of the white zone of the Upper Cliff House Sandstone, the ledge-forming sandstone at the south rim of Mesa Verde, Montezuma County, Colorado (Von Bargen

States & Provinces:

Cliff-palace Milkvetch can be found in Colorado

Which CPC Partners conserve Cliff-palace Milkvetch (Astragalus deterior)?

Denver Botanic Gardens

Not Sponsored

Assigned 06/09/17

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

Nature Serve Biotics

05/02/2017

A narrow endemic of Mesa Verde National Park in the southwestern corner of Colorado. Restricted to specific soil and geologic conditions. The estimated population size is 5,000-11,000 individuals.

Akiko Okawado

01/01/2010

Threats include visitor trampling and high mortality of seedlings. Seedlings are susceptible to June droughts and July heat (Fiero 1987).

Akiko Okawado

01/01/2010

There is a total population of 11,000+ individual plants within Mesa Verde National Park (Peterson 1981).

Akiko Okawado

01/01/2010

Not Available

Akiko Okawado

01/01/2010

Not Available

Akiko Okawado

01/01/2010

Not Available

Akiko Okawado

01/01/2010

Not Available