Astragalus bisulcatus var. major
Astragalus bisulcatus var. bisulcatus
Johnson Canyon milkvetch, twogrooved milkvetch
twogrooved milkvetch
15–19, (5–)10–25 mm.
17–29, (5–)10–25(–32) mm.
20–34-flowered;
axis 3–9 cm in fruit;
bracts 2.5–4 mm.
25–75-flowered;
axis 5–18 cm in fruit;
bracts (2–)2.5–7 mm.
11–15 mm;
calyx usually white, tube 3.5–5.5(–7) mm, lobes narrowly subulate, (1.5–)1.8–3.8 mm;
corolla white or whitish and keel tip maculate, banner sometimes with purple center and purple lines, or suffused with pale purple throughout;
banner longer than keel.
13–17.5 mm;
calyx usually red-purple, tube 3.3–5.7 mm, lobes 1.5–4.5(–6) mm;
corolla pink-purple, or pallid and purple- or lilac-tipped or suffused, or white or whitish and keel tip maculate;
banner longer than keel.
linear- or narrowly oblong-ellipsoid, 8–13.5 × 2.2–3.7 mm, smooth, glabrous or strigulose;
stipe 4–5.2 mm.
linear- or narrowly oblong-ellipsoid, (8–)10–17(–20) × 2–4.5 mm, smooth or faintly reticulate, glabrous or strigulose;
stipe 3–5(–6) mm.
4–10.
10–14(or 15).
= 24.
= 22, 24.
Astragalus bisulcatus var. major
Astragalus bisulcatus var. bisulcatus
The concept of var. major is here expanded to include the so-called basin variants of R. C. Barneby (1964), which occur from southern Wyoming through western Colorado and eastern and southern Utah. These are a diverse lot of pale-flowered populations, each of which varies toward smaller flowers and fruits than are present in var. bisulcatus.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Variety bisulcatus has been confused with Astragalus racemosus, with which it sometimes intermingles. The gibbous calyx of A. bisulcatus and two-grooved versus ± three-sided fruit serve to distinguish them. Where they are sympatric, A. bisulcatus is usually purple-flowered. The vars. bisulcatus and haydenianus are known to contain selenium and swainsonine, both poisonous to livestock (S. F. Trelease and O. A. Beath 1949; J. M. Kingsbury 1964).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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USDA Plants Database
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