| Astragalus canadensis |
| Canadian milk vetch |
Photo by Kitty Kohout
Key Characteristics
Tall perennial forb (up to 1.5 m) of forest, savanna, and glade habitats; arising from a rhizome, leafy branching stems bear compound leaves with 15-35 small (1-4 cm) elliptic leaflets; flowers white; fruit an ovoid pod 4-7 mm thick.
Status and Rank
- State Status: T - Threatened (legally protected)
- State Rank: S1S2 - Rank is uncertain, ranging from critically imperiled to imperiled
- Global Rank: G5 - Secure
Occurrences
| County Name | Number of Occurrences | Year Last Observed |
|---|---|---|
| Alger | 2 | 1993 |
| Berrien | 1 | 1917 |
| Delta | 2 | 1982 |
| Kalamazoo | 2 | 1945 |
| Kent | 1 | 1901 |
| Lapeer | 1 | 1911 |
| Lenawee | 1 | 1916 |
| Livingston | 2 | 1921 |
| Montcalm | 1 | 1900 |
| Oakland | 1 | 1914 |
| Ontonagon | 5 | 2008 |
| Oscoda | 2 | 2002 |
| St. Clair | 1 | 2011 |
| St. Joseph | 2 | 1954 |
| Washtenaw | 3 | 1990 |
![County Distribution Map for [SNAME]](/tmp/Species_Distributions136931911614488.png)
Updated 05/08/2013. Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.
Habitat
Occurs in a variety of habitats including oak barrens, open areas in rich, moist soil over limestone, moist openings, wet ground, and sandy lake shores. Numerous old records have limited habitat data. In addition to the natural communities listed below, the species may occur in lakeplain oak openings, lakeplain wet-mesic prairie, and mesic sand prairie.
Natural Community Types
- Alvar
- Oak barrens
- Floodplain forest
- Northern shrub thicket
- Boreal forest
- Dry southern forest
- Dry-mesic northern forest
- Dry-mesic prairie
- Dry-mesic southern forest
- Hillside prairie
- Limestone bedrock glade
- Limestone cobble shore
- Mesic northern forest
- Mesic prairie
- Oak openings
- Oak-pine barrens
- Pine barrens
Associated Plants
The little data that exists suggests this species may occur with white oak, red cedar, hawthorn, smooth brome, queen anne's-lace, yarrow, Canada goldenrod, mouse-ear chickweed, sweet clover, tick-trefoil, asters, and Cooper's milk-vetch.
Management
Status of the species very poorly known in the state. Most records are very old, but even new records give little data on habitat and condition. The primary need for this species is to conduct status survey and accumulate better data on habitat and populations.
General Survey Guidelines
Random meander search covers areas that appear likely to have rare taxa, based on habitat and the judgment of the investigator.
Survey Methods
- Meander search
Survey Period: From first week of July to fourth week of August
Page Citation
References
Survey References
- Elzinga, C.L., D.W. Salzer, and J.W. Willoughby. 1998. Measuring and Monitoring Plant Populations. The Nature Conservancy and Bureau of Land Management, Denver. BLM Technical Reference 1730-1. 477pp.
- Goff, G.F., G.A. Dawson, and J.J. Rochow. 1982. Site examination for Threatened and Endangered plant species. Environmental Management 6(4): 307-316
- Nelson, J.R. 1984. Rare Plant Field Survey Guidelines. In: J.P. Smith and R. York. Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 3rd Ed. California Native Plant Society, Berkeley. 174pp.
- Nelson, J.R. 1986. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques For Impact Assessment. Natural Areas Journal 5(3):18-30.
- Nelson, J.R. 1987. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques for Impact Assessment. In: Conservation and management of rare and endangered plants. Ed. T.S. Elias. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 8pp.
Technical References
- Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second edition. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 910pp.
- Gray, A. 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany; eighth ed. Van Nostrand Reinghold, New York. 1632pp.
- Holmgren, N.H. 1998. Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. Illustrations of the vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 937pp.
- Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region, 4th ed. Indiana Academy of Science, Indianapolis. 921pp.
- Voss, E. G. 1985. Michigan Flora. Part II. Dicots (Saururaceae-Cornaceae). Bulletin of the Cranbrook Institute of Science and University of Michigan Herbarium. 724pp.