| Astragalus zionis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Zion Milkvetch bloom, Zion Canyon | |
| Conservation status | |
 Apparently Secure (NatureServe) | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Astragalus |
| Species: | A. zionis |
| Binomial name | |
| Astragalus zionis M.E.Jones | |
| Varieties | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Astragalus zionis is a species of legume known by the common name Zion milkvetch. It is one of the earliest flowers to bloom in Zion canyon. First described by botanist Marcus E. Jones in 1895, the species has also been placed in the defunct genus Xylophacos under the name Xylophacos zionis. The variety Astragalus zionis var. vigulus, the guard milkvetch, was described by Stanley Welsh in 1993.
Description
The plant's flowers are purple and its foliage is silvery. The pods are rather hairy, somewhat inflated, ovate, usually mottled, and grow up to one inch long.
Distribution, habitat, and conservation
The range of Astragalus zionis extends from Zion National Park across southern Utah through Glen Canyon to San Juan County, at altitudes of 970 to 2200 meters. It is found on rocky slopes throughout Zion canyon.
Astragalus zionis var. vigulus is considered a Critically Imperiled Plant by the United States Forestry Service and a Critically Imperiled Variety by NatureServe, but is not listed under the Endangered Species Act.
References
- NatureServe (1 November 2024). "Astragalus zionis". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
- ^ "Astragalus zionis M.E.Jones". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- ^ Nelson, Ruth Ashton (1976). Plants of Zion National Park. Springdale, Utah, USA: Zion Natural History Association. pp. 152. ISBN 0-915630-01-X.
- Welsh, Stanley (1993). "New taxa and new nomenclatural combinations in the Utah flora". Rhodora. 95 (883): 404. JSTOR 23312993 – via JSTOR.
- Albee, Beverly J.; Leila M. Sjultz; Sherel Goodrich (1988). Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Utah. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA: The Utah Museum of Natural History. p. 293. ISBN 0-940378-09-4.
- "Astragalus zionis var. vigulus, guard milkvetch". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
- NatureServe (1 November 2024). "Astragalus zionis var. vigulus". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 10 November 2024.