Astragalus oocarpus
species of plant
Astragalus oocarpus is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common names San Diego milkvetch and Descanso milkvetch.
It is endemic to southern California, where it is known only from the Peninsular Ranges of San Diego County. Its range may extend north into Riverside County. It is a plant of the chaparral slopes and woodlands of the mountains.
Description
Astragalus oocarpus is a perennial herb producing upright to erect hollow stems up to 1.3 meters tall. Leaves are up to 17 centimeters long and are made up of veiny lance-shaped leaflets each up to 3 centimeters in length. The stem and leaves are mostly hairless.
The inflorescence holds up to 75 cream-colored flowers, each between 1 and 2 centimeters in length. The fruit is an inflated legume pod 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters long which dries to a stiff papery texture.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Astragalus oocarpus” is species of plant. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Astragalus, oocarpus and species, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “species of plant” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Dec 25, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q4811274. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
A general summary may omit uncertainty, sample limits or methodological disagreement that is explicit in the technical record. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Astragalus oocarpus”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Astragalus oocarpus primary sources, Astragalus oocarpus archive and Astragalus research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Astragalus oocarpus”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Astragalus oocarpus” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.