Astragalus garbancillo

Native from Peru through Bolivia to northwestern Argentina, this perennial herb or shrub grows in the high Andes. Its compact flower clusters contain white to pale lavender blooms with the distinctive pea-like structure of legumes. The plant is poisonous to livestock: populations in northwestern Argentina contain swainsonine, a toxin associated with weight loss and severe nervous-system damage in sheep and llamas. Repeated grazing can cause lasting harm. Photographed in Peru.