Astragalus neglectus

Astragalus neglectus is a perennial, herbaceous plant growing 30 to 90 cm tall.^[2] The alternate, compound leaves have 11 to 25 leaflets.^[3] The 10 to 20 white or creamy flowers form a cluster arising from the upper leaf axils.^[3] The fruit is in the form of an inflated pod.^[3]

The first published description of the species (as Phaca neglecta) was in A Flora of North America by John Torrey and Asa Gray in 1838.^[4] The species is called Cooper's milkvetch after a William Cooper who discovered the plant described by Gray in 1856 as Astragalus cooperi (which ultimately was considered to be the same entity as A. neglectus).^[5]

The range of Astragalus neglectus is centred around the Great Lakes,^[3] but it also occurs from Manitoba and South Dakota east to Massachusetts and Virginia.^[6] It is rare throughout most of its range.^[3] It is found in wet to dry, open, often rocky habitats, especially those that are calcareous.^[7] Natural disturbance is required to maintain these open habitats.^[2]

Although ranked globally as apparently secure (G4), this species is considered to be a rare and potentially vulnerable species within most of the states and provinces where it occurs.^[1] It is classified as endangered in Wisconsin.^[8] It was formerly considered to be at risk in Minnesota but was delisted after the discovery of numerous new populations in the 1990s.^[3]