Astragalus obscurus |
Astragalus perianus |
|
---|---|---|
arcane milkvetch |
|
|
Habit | Plants perennial, caulescent, strigillose, hairs basifixed. | |
Stems | several–numerous, decumbent to ascending, 15–40 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. |
|
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. |
|
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. |
|
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 perianus |
|
Distribution | ||
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. |
|
Source | Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 670 Richard Halse |
|
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Astragalus miser | |
Web links |