[1][3][4] This species is a small perennial herb growing from a taproot and underground branching caudex unit.

[3] The botanist Stanley Larson Welsh published a paper in 1998 that synonymized the species Astragalus shultziorum with A. molybdenus as a variety.

It may grow on loose scree, its branching underground parts helping to stabilize it in the substrate.

[3] Associated plant species include Claytonia megarhiza, Kobresia sp., Oxyria digyna, and Silene acaulis.

[1] Threats to this species include mining, recreational activities such as hiking and off-road vehicle use, and global climate change.