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Photo is of parent taxon

barren milkvetch

Photo is of parent taxon

Cusick's milk vetch

Habit Plants from subterranean caudex, sometimes with stolonlike branches, 2–8 cm underground; distal leaves mostly foliose. Plants from shallow subterranean or superficial caudex; distal leaves foliose.
Leaves

stipules connate-sheathing at proximal nodes, distinct at distal nodes;

leaflets 7–11, blades to 2–5 mm, surfaces strigulose adaxially (often densely so);

terminal leaflet not jointed to slightly dilated rachis.

stipules connate-sheathing at proximal nodes, distinct at distal nodes;

leaflets (5 or)7–11(or 13), blades to 5–18(–27) mm, surfaces strigulose adaxially (often densely so);

terminal leaflet continuous with rachis.

Flowers

calyx 3–3.6 × 2.2–2.5 mm;

corolla ochroleucous, fading yellowish;

banner 9–10 mm.

calyx 4.4–5.8 × 3–4 mm;

corolla white or creamy white, concolorous;

banner 14–15.5 mm.

Legumes

purple-mottled, obliquely ovoid, bladdery-inflated, 20–25 mm, (1–)1.2–2.2 mm wide when pressed;

stipe 3 mm.

not mottled, turning stramineous, much inflated, usually broadly obovoid or obovoid-ellipsoid, rarely semi-ellipsoid, 20–48 mm, (1–)1.2–2.2 mm wide when pressed;

stipe 3–5(–6) mm.

Seeds

17–20.

10–20.

2n

= 22.

Astragalus cusickii var. sterilis

Astragalus cusickii var. cusickii

Phenology Flowering Jun–Jul. Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Barren clay and white or brown ash soils, bluffs, talus slopes, open hilltops. Rocky and gravelly slopes, canyon terraces, ledges of basalt.
Elevation 1400–1500 m. (4600–4900 ft.) 400–1000 m. (1300–3300 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; OR
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; OR; WA
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

D. Isely (1998) maintained var. sterilis, a rare and local endemic from Owyhee County, Idaho, and Malheur County, Oregon, at the specific level, suggesting that it was derived from Astragalus cusickii.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Variety cusickii is known from Malheur County in Oregon, northward on both sides of the Snake River to Asotin County in Washington.

The enclosed ovules or seeds of var. cusickii are partially visible through the walls of the balloonlike, transparent fruits.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Astragalus > sect. Cusickiani > Astragalus cusickii Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Astragalus > sect. Cusickiani > Astragalus cusickii
Sibling taxa
A. cusickii var. cusickii, A. cusickii var. flexilipes, A. cusickii var. packardiae
A. cusickii var. flexilipes, A. cusickii var. packardiae, A. cusickii var. sterilis
Synonyms A. sterilis
Name authority (Barneby) Barneby in A. Cronquist et al.: Intermount. Fl. 3(B): 78. (1989) unknown
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