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Photo is of parent taxon

spiny milkvetch, talon kentrophyta

Photo is of parent taxon

mat milk vetch, mountain kentrophyta

Habit Plants prostrate, mat- or cushion-forming, 8–20 cm wide. Plants prostrate, cushion-forming, 5–40(–50) cm wide.
Stems

and herbage strigulose, hairs malpighian.

and herbage densely to sparsely strigulose, villosulous, or villous, hairs basifixed.

Leaves

0.5–1.3 cm;

stipules dimorphic, those at proximal nodes connate, those at distal nodes free and ± spine-tipped, 1.5–4 mm;

leaflets (3 or)5, blades 3–9 mm.

(0.2–)0.4–1.5(–2) cm;

stipules 2–7 mm;

leaflets (3 or)5–9, blades 1–9 mm, surfaces pubescent or adaxially glabrous or medially glabrescent.

Peduncles

0.1–0.4 cm.

0–1.5(–3) cm.

Flowers

5.2–6.5 mm;

calyx 3.6–4.7 mm, tube 1.8–2.1 mm, lobes subulate, spinulose, 1.8–2.6 mm;

corolla whitish, keel tip purplish.

(3.9–)4.5–8(–9.2) mm;

calyx (2–)2.4–5.7(–7) mm, tube 1.2–2.6(–2.8) mm, lobes subulate to setaceous, (0.5–)1.9–2.6(–4.2) mm;

corolla usually purple or purplish, sometimes white and keel tip pink or purplish.

Legumes

obliquely lanceoloid-acuminate, 5–7.5 × 1.6–2 mm.

ellipsoid or oblong-ellipsoid, (3–)4–8(–9) × (0.6–)2–2.5 mm.

Seeds

2 or 3(or 4).

(3–)5–8.

2n

= 24.

= 24.

Astragalus kentrophyta var. ungulatus

Astragalus kentrophyta var. tegetarius

Phenology Flowering May–Jul. Flowering Jun–Sep.
Habitat Calcareous gravel or gravelly clay knolls and hillsides with sagebrush. Ridgetops, breaks, alpine shrub and tundra with Phlox, Geum rossii, other forbs, grasses, less commonly with shrubs and trees, often in barrens.
Elevation 1500–2200(–3000) m. (4900–7200(–9800) ft.) 2000–3700 m. (6600–12100 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; NV
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WY
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Variety ungulatus contributes to the peculiar pseudo-alpine, mound- and cushion-forming vegetation on the knolls and valley floors and foothills in the high valleys of central and northeastern Nevada and Mono County, California.

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

The moderately large, usually purplish flowers borne just above the mat of foliage set var. tegetarius apart and make it one of the showiest phases of the species.

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

Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Astragalus > sect. Ervoidei > Astragalus kentrophyta Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Astragalus > sect. Ervoidei > Astragalus kentrophyta
Sibling taxa
A. kentrophyta var. coloradoensis, A. kentrophyta var. danaus, A. kentrophyta var. douglasii, A. kentrophyta var. elatus, A. kentrophyta var. jessiae, A. kentrophyta var. kentrophyta, A. kentrophyta var. neomexicanus, A. kentrophyta var. tegetarius
A. kentrophyta var. coloradoensis, A. kentrophyta var. danaus, A. kentrophyta var. douglasii, A. kentrophyta var. elatus, A. kentrophyta var. jessiae, A. kentrophyta var. kentrophyta, A. kentrophyta var. neomexicanus, A. kentrophyta var. ungulatus
Synonyms A. tegetarius, A. aculeatus, A. kentrophyta subsp. implexus, A. kentrophyta var. implexus, A. kentrophyta var. rotundus, A. montanus var. rotundus, A. montanus var. tegetarius, A. tegetarius var. implexus, A. tegetarius var. rotundus, Homalobus aculeatus, H. tegetarius, H. wolfii, Kentrophyta aculeata, K. minima, K. rotunda, K. tegetaria, K. wolfii, Tragacantha tegetaria
Name authority M. E. Jones: Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 2, 5: 650. (1895) (S. Watson) Dorn: Vasc. Pl. Wyoming, 297. (1988)
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