Astragalus praelongus var. avonensis
Astragalus praelongus var. ellisiae
avon milkvetch
Ellis' stinking milkvetch
11–14(–16) mm;
calyx lobes triangular-subulate, (0.8–)1–1.9(–2.8) mm;
corolla pale lemon yellow, keel immaculate.
15–24 mm;
calyx lobes subulate or lanceolate-attenuate, 2–5.5 mm;
corolla ochroleucous, keel often faintly to definitely maculate.
ellipsoid, 18–33 × 9–11 mm, puberulent;
stipe thick, to 1.5 mm.
ellipsoid, oblong-ellipsoid, or narrowly clavate-ellipsoid, 1.8–34 × (5–)6–10(–11) mm, strigulose, glabrous, or puberulent along sutures;
stipe 1–2.5 mm.
connate at proximal nodes (or completely amplexicaul) or distinct throughout.
distinct throughout.
= 24.
Astragalus praelongus var. avonensis
Astragalus praelongus var. ellisiae
Variety avonensis is apparently a smaller version of var. praelongus, more or less isolated along the floor of the Escalante Valley in Beaver, Iron, and Millard counties, which was submerged until a few thousand years ago by a shallow arm of Pleistocene Lake Bonneville.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Variation in var. praelongus, primarily of fruit shape and texture, and its interpretation by past authors, was reviewed by R. C. Barneby (1964). The broadest, almost subspheroid fruits of the more western var. praelongus appear very different from the oblong ones of the more eastern var. ellisiae, but their form is regionally clinal. Therefore, D. Isely (1998) placed the latter into var. praelongus, which is not an illogical disposition.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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