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arcane milkvetch

Mulford's milkvetch

Habit Plants perennial, caulescent, strigillose, hairs basifixed. Plants perennial, caulescent, strigillose, hairs basifixed.
Stems

several–numerous, decumbent to ascending, 15–40 cm.

several–numerous, spreading to ascending, 10–30 cm.

Leaves

(2.5)4–10(12) cm;

leaflets 5–15, oblong-elliptic to lance-oblong or linear-elliptic, 2–15 × 0.5–2.5 mm;

tips obtuse to truncate to shallowly retuse or subacute;

surfaces abaxially strigillose, adaxially thinly pubescent to glabrous;

stipules 1.5–2.5 mm; free.

(2.5)4.5–10.5 cm;

leaflets (7)15–25, linear-oblong, linear-oblanceolate, or filiform;

terminal leaflet jointed to or confluent with rachis, 1–11 × 0.5–1.5 mm;

tips obtuse or subacute;

surfaces abaxially strigillose, adaxially glabrous;

stipules 1.5–6 mm; at least lowermost connate-sheathing.

Inflorescences

racemes compact in early anthesis; soon elongating; (3)6–15-flowered;

peduncles 3–15 cm;

bracts 0.8–2.5 mm;

pedicels 0.5–2.2 mm;

bracteoles 0–2.

racemes, loosely or remotely (5)8–20-flowered;

peduncles (0.5)1–7 cm;

bracts 0.7–2 mm;

pedicels 0.7–2 mm;

bracteoles 0–2.

Flowers

ascending at anthesis;

calyces 3–5.5 mm, strigillose with black and white hairs;

tubes 2.3–4 mm;

teeth triangular to subulate, 0.4–1.6 mm;

corollas 7–10.5 mm, ochroleucous or whitish, often tinged with dull purple;

ovules 14–23.

declined at anthesis;

calyces 2.5–5 mm, usually white strigillose;

tubes 1.5–3 mm;

teeth subulate, 0.8–2 mm;

corollas 6–8.2 mm, white or whitish;

banners sometimes lilac-veined or -tinged;

ovules 10–16.

Fruits

bilocular, pendulous, lunately half-ellipsoid, gently incurved, triquetrously compressed, 9–16 × 3–4.5 mm, finely strigillose;

valves papery;

stipes 3–5 mm.

Fruits ±

bilocular; erect, linear-oblong; straight, obtusely triquetrous, 10–25 × 2.4–4 mm, finely strigillose;

valves coriaceous to cartilaginous;

stipes 0.

Astragalus obscurus

Astragalus mulfordiae

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Sagebrush, ridge tops, talus, hillsides, scabland. Flowering May–Jul. 700–2300 m. BR, BW, ECas, Lava, Owy. CA, ID, NV. Native.

Astragalus obscurus is recognizable by its few leaflets, small, dingy flowers ascending in a close raceme, and erect, sessile, linear-oblong, trigonously compressed fruits. It may be con­fused with the sympatric A. atratus, which is alike in general habit but has pendulous, decurved pods.

Sagebrush, sandy bluffs. Flowering May–Jun. 600–1300 m. Owy. ID. Native.

Connate lower stipules, distant, narrow green leaflets, white or lilac-tinged flowers, and nodding, stipitate, trigonous, and bilocular fruits characterize this species.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 670
Richard Halse
Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 669
Richard Halse
Sibling taxa
A. accidens, A. agrestis, A. alpinus, A. alvordensis, A. applegatei, A. arthuri, A. atratus, A. australis, A. beckwithii, A. californicus, A. calycosus, A. canadensis, A. caricinus, A. collinus, A. conjunctus, A. curvicarpus, A. cusickii, A. diaphanus, A. drummondii, A. eremiticus, A. filipes, A. gambellianus, A. geyeri, A. hoodianus, A. howellii, A. inflexus, A. iodanthus, A. kentrophyta, A. lemmonii, A. lentiginosus, A. malacus, A. misellus, A. mulfordiae, A. multiflorus, A. newberryi, A. nudisiliquus, A. peckii, A. platytropis, A. purshii, A. reventus, A. robbinsii, A. salmonis, A. sclerocarpus, A. sheldonii, A. solitarius, A. spaldingii, A. sterilis, A. succumbens, A. tegetarioides, A. tetrapterus, A. toanus, A. tweedyi, A. tyghensis, A. umbraticus, A. vallaris, A. whitneyi
A. accidens, A. agrestis, A. alpinus, A. alvordensis, A. applegatei, A. arthuri, A. atratus, A. australis, A. beckwithii, A. californicus, A. calycosus, A. canadensis, A. caricinus, A. collinus, A. conjunctus, A. curvicarpus, A. cusickii, A. diaphanus, A. drummondii, A. eremiticus, A. filipes, A. gambellianus, A. geyeri, A. hoodianus, A. howellii, A. inflexus, A. iodanthus, A. kentrophyta, A. lemmonii, A. lentiginosus, A. malacus, A. misellus, A. multiflorus, A. newberryi, A. nudisiliquus, A. obscurus, A. peckii, A. platytropis, A. purshii, A. reventus, A. robbinsii, A. salmonis, A. sclerocarpus, A. sheldonii, A. solitarius, A. spaldingii, A. sterilis, A. succumbens, A. tegetarioides, A. tetrapterus, A. toanus, A. tweedyi, A. tyghensis, A. umbraticus, A. vallaris, A. whitneyi
Synonyms Astragalus miser
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