40 Nebraskaland • April 2024
ildfl owers are like wildlife in that the big, showy
species, such as sandhill cranes, mountain lions, roses
and gayfeathers, get all the notice and attention, while
small, less eye-catching species sadly go unnoticed.
A prime example of this are Nebraska's 24 native milkvetch
(Astragalus) species. Most are rosette-forming plants with
colorful, clustered fl owers that inhabit dry rock outcrops and
clay badlands in the Panhandle. Some are tall prairie plants
with spikes of large blue, purple or white fl owers. These two
groups are the eye-catching milkvetches whose photos often
adorn wildfl ower guides.
Yet four others — ground plum, Platte River milkvetch,
Missouri milkvetch and lotus milkvetch — are short prairie
species that bloom in spring with smaller, less pretentious
fl owers. These are often hidden among the prairie grasses
and are easily overlooked.
Milkvetches belong to the legume or pea family and are
characterized by fi ve-petaled, pea-shaped fl owers, compound
leaves with few to many leafl ets and pods as fruits. The
species can be diffi cult to identify if only their similar-
appearing fl owers and leaves are present. Fortunately, each
has a seed pod that is fairly distinct in size, shape or hairiness,
which greatly aids in identifi cation. Yet, they still manage to
challenge botanists and nature photographers.
The pursuer of our obscure milkvetches must have
knowledge of each species' specifi c prairie habitat and a keen
eye to fi nd them. For the photographer, these plants are best
captured when in bloom, but the perplexed shutterbug may
have to return to the site in early summer and observe the
plant's pods to correctly identify their subject.
Ground Plum
Ground plum (A. crassicarpus), also called buff alo bean,
is the largest and most common of our obscure milkvetches.
It grows in moist bottomland to dry hilltop prairies nearly
W
Nebraska's Obscure
Prairie Milkvetches
Story and photos by Gerry Steinauer, Botanist
Ground plum blooming in a moist tallgrass prairie in
Hamilton County. Native Americans used various decoctions
of the plant to treat sore throat, toothache and insect bites.
Platte River milkvetch fl owering mid-slope on a Platte River
bluff in Hamilton County. Seed pods from previous years are
visible in the lower left of the photo.
