Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi |
Astragalus whitneyi var. confusus |
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balloonpod milkvetch, Whitney's milk vetch |
alturas balloon milkvetch, alturas milkvetch, cone-like milkvetch, Whitney's milk vetch |
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Herbage | strigulose, hairs appressed or narrowly ascending, straight or subsinuous, (0.3–)0.4–0.6 mm. |
gray- or silvery-villosulous, hairs incurved-ascending or straight, 0.5–0.8 mm. |
Stems | low and diffuse or erect (when supported by sagebrush), 5–25 cm. |
robust to low, decumbent, ascending, or erect, (5–)10–30 cm. |
Leaves | (1.5–)3–11 cm; leaflets 9–17(or 19), blades 2–13(–15) mm. |
(2–)3–10 cm; leaflets (7–)13–21, blades (3–)5–20 mm. |
Racemes | (3–)5–15-flowered; axis 1–4(–4.5) cm in fruit. |
(5–)8–16-flowered; axis (1–)1.5–4 cm in fruit. |
Flowers | calyx 4.5–6.4 mm, tube (3.5–)3.7–4.2(–4.7) mm, lobes 0.8–1.5(–1.8) mm; corolla lilac or pink-purple, wing tips pale or white; banner (8.3–)10–14.2(–16.5) mm. |
calyx (5.8–)6.1–9.3 mm, tube (4–)4.5–5.9 mm, lobes (1.5–)1.8–3.6 mm; corolla whitish tinged with pale pink or lavender, sometimes drying ochroleucous; banner (12.8–)13.5–17.2 mm. |
Legumes | 15–30(–40) × 10–18(–22) mm, glabrous; stipe 2–4.5 mm. |
(17–)20–60 × (10–)13–25(–28) mm, strigulose; stipe 4–9 mm. |
Seeds | 18–30. |
22–30(–37). |
2n | = 22. |
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Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi |
Astragalus whitneyi var. confusus |
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Phenology | Flowering May–Sep. | Flowering Apr–Jul. |
Habitat | Slopes and ridges at or above timberline, sagebrush valleys and foothills. | Sandy or gravelly, basaltic or granitic substrates, usually with sagebrush. |
Elevation | 2000–3700 m. (6600–12100 ft.) | 1300–2600 m. (4300–8500 ft.) |
Distribution |
CA; NV |
CA; ID; NV; OR |
Discussion | Ranging from the mountains of southern California through the Sierra Nevada to northwestern Nevada, the widespread var. whitneyi can usually be distinguished by its red-purple or pink-purple petals and the fruits of relatively medium size. Morphological characters overlap, and some specimens of vars. siskiyouensis and whitneyi can be distinguished only by origin. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
The range of var. confusus is from northeastern California and adjoining Oregon to northeastern Nevada, and southwestern and south-central Idaho. D. Isely (1998) expressed concern over maintaining var. confusus as distinct from the more northern var. sonneanus. It seems to have about equal integrity as other varieties; nevertheless, southward it forms intermediates with var. siskiyouensis. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 11. | FNA vol. 11. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | unknown | Barneby: Aliso 2: 206. (1950) |
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