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Photo is of parent taxon

balloonpod milkvetch, Whitney's milk vetch

Photo is of parent taxon

alturas balloon milkvetch, alturas milkvetch, cone-like milkvetch, Whitney's milk vetch

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.

Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi

Astragalus whitneyi var. confusus

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
from FNA
CA; NV
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; NV; OR
[BONAP county map]
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 Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Astragalus > sect. Cusickiani > Astragalus whitneyi Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Astragalus > sect. Cusickiani > Astragalus whitneyi
Sibling taxa
A. whitneyi var. confusus, A. whitneyi var. lenophyllus, A. whitneyi var. siskiyouensis, A. whitneyi var. sonneanus
A. whitneyi var. lenophyllus, A. whitneyi var. siskiyouensis, A. whitneyi var. sonneanus, A. whitneyi var. whitneyi
Name authority unknown Barneby: Aliso 2: 206. (1950)
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