Astragalus miser

Astragalus miser, the timber milkvetch, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. A perennial, it is native to western North America, except California. One of the locoweeds toxic to livestock, it contains miserotoxin.

The Sylix/Okanagan use timber milkvetch blooming as a sign that the edible cambium and inner bark of the lodgepole pine is ready to harvest.

Subtaxa

The following varieties are accepted:

• Astragalus miser var. crispatus – Idaho, Montana
• Astragalus miser var. decumbens – Montana, Wyoming
• Astragalus miser var. hylophilus – Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota
• Astragalus miser var. miser – British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana
• Astragalus miser var. oblongifolius – Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico
• Astragalus miser var. praeteritus – Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
• Astragalus miser var. serotinus – Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana
• Astragalus miser var. tenuifolius – Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming

References