Description
Perennial in the pea family.  Stems are trailing (25-80 cm long) and sometimes branching.  The leaves are 3-12 centimeters long consisting of 7-11 flat leaflets.  These pea flowers, white with lavender tips, are grouped together in bunches of 5-20.  They flower from early June to August.
Three other Astragalus species live in the same range: A. filipes, A. purshii, A. lemmonii.
 

Threats: agricultural and urban development

Overview
Astragalus applegatei was believed to be extinct until 1983.  After extensive surveys, three populations have been found.  All are located in Klamath County in Southern Oregon, 15 miles north from the California/Oregon border.  It is thought that this species was historically more prevalent, based on habitat surveys, but there is only one known location of an extinct population.  Relocation efforts in that area have been unsuccessful, most likely due to severe habitat modification. Astragalus applegatei grows on seasonally moist areas with sparse neighborhood vegetation of native bunch grasses and bare, strongly alkaline soil.  This habitat is rare due to weeds, suppression of floods and fires, drainage ditches, and water retention dikes.  Suitable habitat of even an acre or less may be hard to obtain.  There are approximately 12,000 plants known in existence.  Of the largest site, containing roughly 11,000 plants, much of the land is owned by The Nature Conservancy and is being managed for Astragalus applegatei’s protection. The rest of the land is owned privately and is threatened by industrial development. The other two populations contain less than 500 individuals.  Because of the small population size, genetic viability may be a problem for their long-term survival. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife own the land containing one of the populations.  Not only are reduced and highly modified habitat a threat, but so are caterpillars, beetles, and low seed production.  There are a number of research projects aimed at aiding Astragalus applegatei’s recovery conducted by The Nature Conservancy and the Oregon Department of Agriculture.  These include: extent of exotic plant influence, population monitoring, experimental habitat management treatments, habitat analysis, reproductive and pollination biology, propagation, transplantation, seed perdition, and mycorrhizal and other microbial studies.  Recovery criteria for downlisting to "threatened" is the existence of six self-sustaining populations (defined as having a minimum of 1,500 reproductive plants) in secure habitats.
 

Distribution Three populations, all within Klamath County, have been located after extensive surveys.  There was a fourth site no longer containing any plants.  Lack of suitable habitat may be a serious barrier to recovery.

Distribution by County

Sources
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998.  Applegate’s milk-vetch (Astragalus applegatei) Recovery Plan.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Portland, Oregon.
 

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