Black-calyx milk vetch vs Lion d'Afrique

Astragalus nigrocalycinus compared with Panthera leo

Key Differences

Black-calyx milk vetch is Critically Endangered while Lion d'Afrique is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black-calyx milk vetch	Lion d'Afrique
Kingdom	Plantae (plante)	Animalia (animal)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (mammifères)
Order	Fabales (Legumes & Allies)	Carnivora (carnivores)
Family	Fabaceae	Felidae (Cats)
Genus	Astragalus	Panthera (Big Cats)
Species	Astragalus nigrocalycinus	Panthera leo

Conservation Status

Black-calyx milk vetch

CR — Critically Endangered

Lion d'Afrique

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~23.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black-calyx milk vetch	Lion d'Afrique
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	2.5 m
Average Weight	—	190.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black-calyx milk vetch

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Lion d'Afrique

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 7 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Black-calyx milk vetch

The Black-calyx milk vetch (Astragalus nigrocalycinus) is a species in the genus Astragalus. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Lion d'Afrique

The largest wild cat in Africa, lions reach up to 250 kg and are the only social felids, living in prides across sub-Saharan savannas and grasslands. Males are distinguished by their iconic manes. As apex predators, they regulate herbivore populations and maintain ecosystem balance. Listed as Vulnerable due to habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict.