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Pursh's milk-vetch, Pursh's sheeppod, woolly-pod milk-vetch

coiled locoweed, curve-pod milkvetch, curved pod milk vetch, sickle milkvetch

Habit Plants tuft-forming, acaulescent, subacaulescent, or shortly caulescent, 4.5–13 cm, usually villous to villous-tomentose, sometimes appearing white or gray, hairs basifixed; from branched, superficial caudex, branches with thatch. Plants robust or slender, 10–40 cm, strigulose, villosulous, glabrous, or with few scattered hairs; from superficial or slightly subterranean caudex.
Stems

usually obscured by stipules, or internodes to 2 cm, villous to villous-tomentose.

decumbent to ascending, strigulose, villosulous, glabrous, or with few scattered hairs.

Leaves

1–12(–15) cm;

stipules (2.5–)3–15 mm, membranous;

leaflets (3 or)5–17(–21), blades obovate, obovate-cuneate, elliptic to oblanceolate, or rhombic-elliptic, 2–14(–20) mm, apex usually acute, subacute, acuminate, or obtuse, rarely truncate-emarginate, surfaces densely villous.

2.5–9 cm;

stipules distinct, (1–)1.5–5 mm, scarious at proximal nodes, herbaceous at distal nodes;

leaflets (9 or)11–21(–25), blades obovate-cuneate, oblong-obovate, or elliptic to broadly oblanceolate, (7–)9–19(–21) mm, apex retuse or truncate to obtuse, surfaces strigulose or villosulous abaxially, strigose to glabrescent or glabrous adaxially.

Racemes

1–11-flowered, flowers ascending;

axis 0.3–2(–4) cm in fruit;

bracts 2–9 mm;

bracteoles 0.

(5–)10–25(–35)-flowered, flowers retrorsely imbricate, ascending then nodding;

axis 2–10(–13) cm in fruit;

bracts 0.7–2.5 mm;

bracteoles 0.

Peduncles

ascending or erect, decumbent in fruit, 1.5–10.5 cm.

erect or arcuate-erect, 4–15 cm.

Pedicels

1–5 mm.

1–3.5 mm.

Flowers

19–25(–27) mm;

calyx cylindric, cylindro-campanulate, or campanulate, (5.5–)6–16(–19) mm, villous-pilose, tube (4–)4.5–12(–13.6) mm, lobes subulate, 1–6(–7) mm;

corolla white, cream, purple, or pink-purple;

banner recurved through 40°;

keel 8–21.2(–22.5) mm.

13.5–21 mm;

calyx broadly campanulate to broadly cylindric (gibbous-saccate or gibbous-truncate), 6.1–13.6 mm, strigulose or villosulous, marcescent, tube 5.4–11.9 mm, marcescent, lobes triangular, 0.4–2.3 mm;

corolla ochroleucous, white, or lemon yellow;

banner recurved through 45°;

keel 9.4–15.2 mm.

Legumes

initially ascending (humistrate), brownish, not mottled or spotted, incurved, ovoid, ovoid-ellipsoid, or lanceoloid-ellipsoid, dorsiventrally compressed, 7–26(–30) × 3.5–11(–13) mm, unilocular, fleshy becoming leathery, mostly shaggy-villous, sometimes tomentose or villous-hirsute, hairs 1.6–4(–5) mm, often concealing surface;

sessile or subsessile, or gynophore 0.5+ mm.

pendulous, green or purple-spotted becoming brown-stramineous, hamately or lunately incurved or, rarely, coiled through 1.5 spirals, narrowly oblong, laterally compressed, 14–35 × (2.7)3–4.5(–5.5) mm, stiffly papery or thinly leathery, usually glabrous, villosulous, or strigulose, rarely glabrate;

stipe 6–20 mm.

Seeds

14–38(–46).

14–25(–28).

Astragalus purshii

Astragalus curvicarpus

Distribution
from USDA
w North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
w United States
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 8 (8 in the flora).

The geographic distribution of Astragalus purshii, forming a relatively large triangle in western North America, from southwestern Canada to southern California, northeastward to western North Dakota, makes it the most widely distributed of all astragali with woolly fruits. The case for specific status for such entities as A. inflexus and A. utahensis may be little stronger than that for several of the taxa included within A. purshii (D. Isely 1998). L. Abrams (1944b) often gave an inclusive name of woolly-pod to all of the fuzzy-podded species, sometimes sheep-pod. For consistency they are all called milkvetch here. Isely gave a synopsis that helped to distinguish other woolly fruited species. The treatment of R. C. Barneby (1964) is followed here, and his key to varieties is largely followed.

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

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Astragalus curvicarpus and its immediate relatives (A. collinus to the north, A. gibbsii to the south) are geographically exclusive. Formal classification of these three species is speculative because relationships seem reticulate and the origin of the group polyphyletic (D. Isely 1998). R. C. Barneby (1964) discussed the evolutionary irrationalities of sect. Collini.

Astragalus gibbsii var. curvicarpus (E. Sheldon) M. E. Jones and A. speirocarpus var. curvicarpus E. Sheldon are illegitimate names that pertain here.

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

Key
1. Calyces (5.5–)6–10.1 mm; banners 9–16.5 mm; keel 8–13 mm.
→ 2
2. Racemes (3–)5–11-flowered; leaflets (7 or)9–15(or 17); sw Idaho.
var. ophiogenes
2. Racemes 1–5(–7)-flowered; leaflets (3 or)5–9(or 11); California, sw Idaho, nw Nevada, and along foothills and plains adjacent to e slope of Cascades in Oregon.
→ 3
3. Legumes incurved only in beak; seeds 24–32; San Bernardino Mountains and Sierra Nevada, California, w Nevada.
var. lectulus
3. Legumes arched throughout, at least through 0.5–1 spiral; seeds 14–20; plains of ne California to c Oregon, sw Idaho, and nw Nevada.
var. lagopinus
1. Calyces (8–)9–16(–19) mm; banners (14.6–)15.4–25(–26) mm; keel (11.5–)12.4–21.2(–22.5) mm.
→ 4
4. Corollas mostly white or cream (keel tip maculate), rarely banners and wings tipped dull, pale bluish purple; widespread from California and British Columbia eastward to North Dakota and Colorado.
var. purshii
4. Corollas purple or pink-purple throughout; British Columbia to s California (cis- and transmontane), sw Montana, and sc Nevada.
→ 5
5. Banners (14.6–)19–25(–26.5) mm; keel (11.5–)12.4–21(–22.5) mm.
→ 6
6. Plants acaulescent or subacaulescent; leaflets (5 or)7 or 9(or 11), blades obovate, obovate-cuneate, or broadly elliptic, apices obtuse or truncate; ec Idaho, sw Montana.
var. concinnus
6. Plants shortly caulescent or subacau­lescent; leaflets (3 or)5–17(–21), blades obovate-cuneate, oblanceolate, nar­rowly elliptic or elliptic-oblanceolate, apices usually acute, subacute, or short-acuminate, rarely obtuse; British Columbia, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington.
→ 7
7. Legumes not or very shallowly sulcate ventrally; leaflets (3 or)5–13(–17), blades usually obovate-cuneate or oblanceolate, rarely elliptic-oblanceolate, apices usually acute or subacute, rarely obtuse; racemes 3–11-flowered; banners (14.6–)15.4–25 mm; cis- and trans­montane California, w Nevada, and Oregon.
var. tinctus
7. Legumes strongly depressed-sulcate ventrally in proximal 1/2; leaflets (7 or)9–15(or 17), blades usually narrowly elliptic, rarely elliptic-oblanceolate, apices usually acute or short-acuminate; racemes 2–5(–10)-flowered; banners 19–25(–26.5) mm; Oregon and British Columbia eastward to Utah.
var. glareosus
5. Banners 11.5–18(–25) mm; keel 10.2–15(–20.8) mm.
→ 8
8. Legumes strongly sulcate ventrally in proximal 1/2; c Nevada.
var. pumilio
8. Legumes not or shallowly sulcate ventrally; ne California, sw Idaho, nw Nevada, se Oregon.
→ 9
9. Legumes 13–23(–27) mm; racemes with relatively short (subcapitate) flowering axes; ne California, nw Nevada, e Oregon.
var. tinctus
9. Legumes 8–13 mm; racemes with relatively long flowering axes; along Owyhee, Snake, and lower Bruneau rivers, se Oregon and sw Idaho.
var. ophiogenes
1. Legumes usually villosulous or strigulose, rarely glabrate or glabrous; flowers (15–)16.4–21 mm; leaflet blades sparsely pubescent adaxially; California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon.
var. curvicarpus
1. Legumes glabrous; flowers 13.6–19.5 mm; leaflet blades pubescent or glabrous adaxially; nw transmontane Oregon, in drainage of Deschutes and John Day rivers.
→ 2
2. Flowers 13.6–15(–16.8) mm; calyces 6.1–8.5(–9.3) mm; leaflet blade adaxial surface pubescent.
var. brachycodon
2. Flowers 13.5–19.5 mm; calyces (8–)9–13.6 mm; leaflet blade adaxial surface glabrous, sparsely ciliate.
var. subglaber
Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Astragalus > sect. Argophylli Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Astragalus > sect. Collini
Sibling taxa
A. accidens, A. accumbens, A. ackermanii, A. acutirostris, A. adanus, A. aequalis, A. agnicidus, A. agrestis, A. albens, A. albulus, A. allochrous, A. alpinus, A. altus, A. alvordensis, A. amblytropis, A. americanus, A. amnis-amissi, A. amphioxys, A. ampullarioides, A. ampullarius, A. andersonii, A. anisus, A. anserinus, A. applegatei, A. aquilonius, A. aretioides, A. argophyllus, A. aridus, A. arizonicus, A. arrectus, A. arthurii, A. asclepiadoides, A. asotinensis, A. asymmetricus, A. atratus, A. atropubescens, A. atwoodii, A. austiniae, A. australis, A. barnebyi, A. barrii, A. beathii, A. beatleyae, A. beckwithii, A. bernardinus, A. bibullatus, A. bicristatus, A. bisulcatus, A. bodinii, A. bolanderi, A. bourgovii, A. brandegeei, A. brauntonii, A. brazoensis, A. breweri, A. californicus, A. callithrix, A. calycosus, A. camptopus, A. canadensis, A. caricinus, A. casei, A. castaneiformis, A. castetteri, A. ceramicus, A. cerussatus, A. chamaeleuce, A. chamaemeniscus, A. chinensis, A. chloödes, A. chuskanus, A. cibarius, A. cicer, A. cimae, A. claranus, A. clevelandii, A. cliffordii, A. cobrensis, A. coccineus, A. collinus, A. coltonii, A. columbianus, A. concordius, A. congdonii, A. conjunctus, A. consobrinus, A. contortuplicatus, A. convallarius, A. cottamii, A. crassicarpus, A. cremnophylax, A. cronquistii, A. crotalariae, A. curtipes, A. curvicarpus, A. cusickii, A. cutleri, A. cyaneus, A. cymboides, A. deanei, A. debequaeus, A. desereticus, A. desperatus, A. deterior, A. detritalis, A. diaphanus, A. didymocarpus, A. distortus, A. diversifolius, A. douglasii, A. drabelliformis, A. drummondii, A. duchesnensis, A. eastwoodiae, A. egglestonii, A. emoryanus, A. endopterus, A. ensiformis, A. episcopus, A. equisolensis, A. eremiticus, A. ertterae, A. eucosmus, A. eurekensis, A. eurylobus, A. falcatus, A. feensis, A. filipes, A. flavus, A. flexuosus, A. fucatus, A. funereus, A. gambelianus, A. geyeri, A. gibbsii, A. giganteus, A. gilensis, A. gilmanii, A. gilviflorus, A. glycyphyllos, A. gracilis, A. grayi, A. gypsodes, A. hallii, A. hamiltonii, A. harrisonii, A. heilii, A. henrimontanensis, A. holmgreniorum, A. hoodianus, A. hornii, A. howellii, A. humillimus, A. humistratus, A. hyalinus, A. hypoxylus, A. inflexus, A. insularis, A. inversus, A. inyoensis, A. iodanthus, A. iodopetalus, A. iselyi, A. jaegerianus, A. jejunus, A. johannis-howellii, A. kelseyae, A. kentrophyta, A. kerrii, A. knightii, A. laccoliticus, A. lancearius, A. laxmannii, A. layneae, A. leibergii, A. lemmonii, A. lentiformis, A. lentiginosus, A. leptaleus, A. leptocarpus, A. leucolobus, A. limnocharis, A. lindheimeri, A. linifolius, A. loanus, A. lonchocarpus, A. lotiflorus, A. lutosus, A. lyallii, A. macrodon, A. magdalenae, A. malacoides, A. malacus, A. megacarpus, A. michauxii, A. microcymbus, A. microcystis, A. microlobium, A. micromerius, A. miguelensis, A. minthorniae, A. misellus, A. miser, A. missouriensis, A. moencoppensis, A. mohavensis, A. mollissimus, A. molybdenus, A. monoensis, A. montii, A. monumentalis, A. mulfordiae, A. multiflorus, A. musiniensis, A. naturitensis, A. neglectus, A. nelsonianus, A. neomexicanus, A. nevinii, A. newberryi, A. nidularius, A. nothoxys, A. nudisiliquus, A. nutans, A. nutriosensis, A. nuttallianus, A. nuttallii, A. nutzotinensis, A. nyensis, A. obcordatus, A. obscurus, A. oniciformis, A. oocalycis, A. oocarpus, A. oophorus, A. oreganus, A. osterhoutii, A. oxyphysus, A. pachypus, A. palmeri, A. panamintensis, A. pardalinus, A. parryi, A. pattersonii, A. pauperculus, A. paysonii, A. peckii, A. pectinatus, A. perianus, A. phoenix, A. pictiformis, A. pinonis, A. piscator, A. piutensis, A. plattensis, A. platytropis, A. polaris, A. pomonensis, A. porrectus, A. praelongus, A. preussii, A. proimanthus, A. proximus, A. pseudiodanthus, A. pterocarpus, A. pubentissimus, A. pulsiferae, A. puniceus, A. pycnostachyus, A. racemosus, A. rafaelensis, A. rattanii, A. ravenii, A. recurvus, A. reflexus, A. remotus, A. reventiformis, A. reventus, A. riparius, A. ripleyi, A. robbinsii, A. rusbyi, A. sabulonum, A. sabulosus, A. salmonis, A. saurinus, A. scaphoides, A. schmolliae, A. sclerocarpus, A. scopulorum, A. sepultipes, A. serenoi, A. sericoleucus, A. serpens, A. sesquiflorus, A. sheldonii, A. shevockii, A. shortianus, A. siliceus, A. simplicifolius, A. sinuatus, A. solitarius, A. sophoroides, A. soxmaniorum, A. spaldingii, A. sparsiflorus, A. spatulatus, A. speirocarpus, A. straturensis, A. striatiflorus, A. subcinereus, A. subvestitus, A. succumbens, A. tegetarioides, A. tener, A. tennesseensis, A. tephrodes, A. terminalis, A. tetrapterus, A. thurberi, A. tibetanus, A. tidestromii, A. tiehmii, A. titanophilus, A. toanus, A. toquimanus, A. tortipes, A. traskiae, A. tricarinatus, A. trichopodus, A. tridactylicus, A. troglodytus, A. tweedyi, A. tyghensis, A. umbellatus, A. umbraticus, A. uncialis, A. utahensis, A. vaccarum, A. vallaris, A. vexilliflexus, A. villosus, A. wardii, A. waterfallii, A. webberi, A. welshii, A. wetherillii, A. whitneyi, A. williamsii, A. wingatanus, A. wittmannii, A. woodruffii, A. wootonii, A. wrightii, A. xiphoides, A. yoderwilliamsii, A. zionis
A. accidens, A. accumbens, A. ackermanii, A. acutirostris, A. adanus, A. aequalis, A. agnicidus, A. agrestis, A. albens, A. albulus, A. allochrous, A. alpinus, A. altus, A. alvordensis, A. amblytropis, A. americanus, A. amnis-amissi, A. amphioxys, A. ampullarioides, A. ampullarius, A. andersonii, A. anisus, A. anserinus, A. applegatei, A. aquilonius, A. aretioides, A. argophyllus, A. aridus, A. arizonicus, A. arrectus, A. arthurii, A. asclepiadoides, A. asotinensis, A. asymmetricus, A. atratus, A. atropubescens, A. atwoodii, A. austiniae, A. australis, A. barnebyi, A. barrii, A. beathii, A. beatleyae, A. beckwithii, A. bernardinus, A. bibullatus, A. bicristatus, A. bisulcatus, A. bodinii, A. bolanderi, A. bourgovii, A. brandegeei, A. brauntonii, A. brazoensis, A. breweri, A. californicus, A. callithrix, A. calycosus, A. camptopus, A. canadensis, A. caricinus, A. casei, A. castaneiformis, A. castetteri, A. ceramicus, A. cerussatus, A. chamaeleuce, A. chamaemeniscus, A. chinensis, A. chloödes, A. chuskanus, A. cibarius, A. cicer, A. cimae, A. claranus, A. clevelandii, A. cliffordii, A. cobrensis, A. coccineus, A. collinus, A. coltonii, A. columbianus, A. concordius, A. congdonii, A. conjunctus, A. consobrinus, A. contortuplicatus, A. convallarius, A. cottamii, A. crassicarpus, A. cremnophylax, A. cronquistii, A. crotalariae, A. curtipes, A. cusickii, A. cutleri, A. cyaneus, A. cymboides, A. deanei, A. debequaeus, A. desereticus, A. desperatus, A. deterior, A. detritalis, A. diaphanus, A. didymocarpus, A. distortus, A. diversifolius, A. douglasii, A. drabelliformis, A. drummondii, A. duchesnensis, A. eastwoodiae, A. egglestonii, A. emoryanus, A. endopterus, A. ensiformis, A. episcopus, A. equisolensis, A. eremiticus, A. ertterae, A. eucosmus, A. eurekensis, A. eurylobus, A. falcatus, A. feensis, A. filipes, A. flavus, A. flexuosus, A. fucatus, A. funereus, A. gambelianus, A. geyeri, A. gibbsii, A. giganteus, A. gilensis, A. gilmanii, A. gilviflorus, A. glycyphyllos, A. gracilis, A. grayi, A. gypsodes, A. hallii, A. hamiltonii, A. harrisonii, A. heilii, A. henrimontanensis, A. holmgreniorum, A. hoodianus, A. hornii, A. howellii, A. humillimus, A. humistratus, A. hyalinus, A. hypoxylus, A. inflexus, A. insularis, A. inversus, A. inyoensis, A. iodanthus, A. iodopetalus, A. iselyi, A. jaegerianus, A. jejunus, A. johannis-howellii, A. kelseyae, A. kentrophyta, A. kerrii, A. knightii, A. laccoliticus, A. lancearius, A. laxmannii, A. layneae, A. leibergii, A. lemmonii, A. lentiformis, A. lentiginosus, A. leptaleus, A. leptocarpus, A. leucolobus, A. limnocharis, A. lindheimeri, A. linifolius, A. loanus, A. lonchocarpus, A. lotiflorus, A. lutosus, A. lyallii, A. macrodon, A. magdalenae, A. malacoides, A. malacus, A. megacarpus, A. michauxii, A. microcymbus, A. microcystis, A. microlobium, A. micromerius, A. miguelensis, A. minthorniae, A. misellus, A. miser, A. missouriensis, A. moencoppensis, A. mohavensis, A. mollissimus, A. molybdenus, A. monoensis, A. montii, A. monumentalis, A. mulfordiae, A. multiflorus, A. musiniensis, A. naturitensis, A. neglectus, A. nelsonianus, A. neomexicanus, A. nevinii, A. newberryi, A. nidularius, A. nothoxys, A. nudisiliquus, A. nutans, A. nutriosensis, A. nuttallianus, A. nuttallii, A. nutzotinensis, A. nyensis, A. obcordatus, A. obscurus, A. oniciformis, A. oocalycis, A. oocarpus, A. oophorus, A. oreganus, A. osterhoutii, A. oxyphysus, A. pachypus, A. palmeri, A. panamintensis, A. pardalinus, A. parryi, A. pattersonii, A. pauperculus, A. paysonii, A. peckii, A. pectinatus, A. perianus, A. phoenix, A. pictiformis, A. pinonis, A. piscator, A. piutensis, A. plattensis, A. platytropis, A. polaris, A. pomonensis, A. porrectus, A. praelongus, A. preussii, A. proimanthus, A. proximus, A. pseudiodanthus, A. pterocarpus, A. pubentissimus, A. pulsiferae, A. puniceus, A. purshii, A. pycnostachyus, A. racemosus, A. rafaelensis, A. rattanii, A. ravenii, A. recurvus, A. reflexus, A. remotus, A. reventiformis, A. reventus, A. riparius, A. ripleyi, A. robbinsii, A. rusbyi, A. sabulonum, A. sabulosus, A. salmonis, A. saurinus, A. scaphoides, A. schmolliae, A. sclerocarpus, A. scopulorum, A. sepultipes, A. serenoi, A. sericoleucus, A. serpens, A. sesquiflorus, A. sheldonii, A. shevockii, A. shortianus, A. siliceus, A. simplicifolius, A. sinuatus, A. solitarius, A. sophoroides, A. soxmaniorum, A. spaldingii, A. sparsiflorus, A. spatulatus, A. speirocarpus, A. straturensis, A. striatiflorus, A. subcinereus, A. subvestitus, A. succumbens, A. tegetarioides, A. tener, A. tennesseensis, A. tephrodes, A. terminalis, A. tetrapterus, A. thurberi, A. tibetanus, A. tidestromii, A. tiehmii, A. titanophilus, A. toanus, A. toquimanus, A. tortipes, A. traskiae, A. tricarinatus, A. trichopodus, A. tridactylicus, A. troglodytus, A. tweedyi, A. tyghensis, A. umbellatus, A. umbraticus, A. uncialis, A. utahensis, A. vaccarum, A. vallaris, A. vexilliflexus, A. villosus, A. wardii, A. waterfallii, A. webberi, A. welshii, A. wetherillii, A. whitneyi, A. williamsii, A. wingatanus, A. wittmannii, A. woodruffii, A. wootonii, A. wrightii, A. xiphoides, A. yoderwilliamsii, A. zionis
Subordinate taxa
A. purshii var. concinnus, A. purshii var. glareosus, A. purshii var. lagopinus, A. purshii var. lectulus, A. purshii var. ophiogenes, A. purshii var. pumilio, A. purshii var. purshii, A. purshii var. tinctus
A. curvicarpus var. brachycodon, A. curvicarpus var. curvicarpus, A. curvicarpus var. subglaber
Synonyms Homalobus curvicarpus, A. gibbsii var. falciformis, A. speirocarpus var. falciformis
Name authority Douglas in W. J. Hooker: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 152. (1831) (A. Heller) J. F. Macbride: Contr. Gray Herb. 65: 38. (1922)
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