Pomona Milkvetch

Phaca pomonensis (M. E. Jones) Rydberg
Phaca densifolia Torr. Pacif. R. R. Rep. 4: 80. 1856. Not P. densifolia Smith, 1814. Astragalus Crotalariae A. Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. 6: 216, in part. 1864. Astragalus pomonensis M. E. Jones, Contr. W. Bot. 10: 59. 1902.
Perennial; stem 3-8 dm. high, striate and angled, glabrous; leaves 10-18 cm. long, ascending; stipules deltoid, about 5 mm. long, membranous; leaflets 11-35, oblong to oval, 1-2 cm. long, 3-8 mm. wide, acute at the base, rounded or rarely retuse at the apex, sparingly strigose beneath, glabrous above; peduncles 8-15 cm. long; racemes dense, 3-5 cm. long ; bracts lancesubulate, 1-2 mm. long; flowers reflexed in age; calyx-tube 4 mm. long, appressed-pubescent, sometimes slightly black-hairy, the lobes subulate, with a deltoid base, 1.5-2 mm. long; corolla ochroleucous, 10-12 mm. long, similar to that of P. densifolia; pod obliquely ovoid, 3 cm. long, 1.5-2 cm. wide, minutely strigose.
Type locality: Fallbrook, California.
Distribution: Southern California.

Perennial, Herbs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems hollow, or spongy, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules membranous or chartaceous, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Stipules connate to each other, forming a tuber or sheath, Leaves compound, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals ochroleucous, cream colored, Banner petal narrow or oblan ceolate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel petals auriculate, spurred, or gibbous, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Style persistent in fruit, Fruit a legume, Fruit stipitate, Fruit unilocular, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit inflated or turgid, Fruit beaked, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 11-many seeded, Seeds cordiform, mit-shaped, notched at one end, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.

Seeds

Astragalus pomonensis is a species of milkvetch known by the common name Pomona milkvetch. It is native to Baja California and southern California, where it can be found in a number of coastal habitats, including the California Coast Ranges. This is a bushy perennial herb forming a clump of thick, hollow stems up to about 80 centimeters tall. Leaves are up to 20 centimeters long and are made up of many oval-shaped leaflets each up to 3 centimeters in length. The inflorescence is a large array of up to 45 cream-colored flowers. Each flower is between one and two centimeters long. The fruit is a bladdery legume pod which dries to a thin, almost transparent papery texture. It may exceed 4 centimeters in length and generally drops off the plant when dry.