Taxon: Astragalus purshii Douglas

Summary

Genus:

Astragalus

Family:

Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae)

Subfamily:

Faboideae

Tribe:

Galegeae

Subtribe:

Astragalinae

Nomen number:

318598

Place of publication:

W. J. Hooker, Fl. bor.-amer. 1:152. 1831

Protologue link:

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/413566

Comment:

both the name and its validating diagnosis were simultaneously ascribed to Douglas, so he is the author of the name (see Shenzhen ICN Art. 46, Ex. 11)

Verified:

07/07/1993 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

23 (23 active, 11 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Astragalus purshii Douglas var. glareosus (Douglas) Barneby (0 active accession[s])
Astragalus purshii Douglas var. lagopinus (Rydb.) Barneby (1 active accession[s])
Astragalus purshii Douglas var. purshii (3 active accession[s])
Astragalus purshii Douglas var. tinctus M. E. Jones (0 active accession[s])

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Phaca mollissima Nutt.
Phaca mollissima Nutt. var. mollissima

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Links

Forestry Images – from www.forestryimages.org

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
Cronquist, A. et al. 1972-. Intermountain flora.
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
Welsh, S. L. et al. 1987. A Utah flora. Great Basin Naturalist Mem. 9.

Common names

Language	Name	Alternate name	note	seq	Citation
English	Pursh milk-vetch			1	Welsh, S. L. et al. 1987. A Utah flora. Great Basin Naturalist Mem. 9.

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	North Dakota	s.w.	Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	South Dakota	w.	Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Colorado	n.w.	Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Idaho		Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Montana		Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Oregon	e. & c.	Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Washington	e.	Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Wyoming		Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California	e.	Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Nevada		Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Utah	n.	Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Alberta	s.	Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	British Columbia	s.	Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Saskatchewan	s.w.	Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.

Native
Northern America

WESTERN CANADA: Canada [Alberta (s.), British Columbia (s.), Saskatchewan (s.w.)]
NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [North Dakota (s.w.), South Dakota (w.)]
NORTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Colorado (n.w.), Idaho, Montana, Oregon (e. & c.), Washington (e.), Wyoming]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [California (e.), Nevada, Utah (n.)]

Reference(s)

Barneby, R. C. 1964. Atlas of North American Astragalus. Part II. The Cercidothrix, Hypoglottis, Piptolodoid, Trimeniaeus and Orophaca Astragali. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13:671.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=318598. Accessed 15 April 2026.