Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi
Astragalus whitneyi var. siskiyouensis
balloonpod milkvetch, Whitney's milk vetch
Siskiyou balloon milkvetch, Siskiyou milk vetch
strigulose, hairs appressed or narrowly ascending, straight or subsinuous, (0.3–)0.4–0.6 mm.
usually loosely strigulose in variable amounts, hairs appressed or narrowly ascending, straight or subsinuous, 0.4–0.6(–0.7) mm.
low and diffuse or erect (when supported by sagebrush), 5–25 cm.
low, diffuse, 10–30(–40) cm.
(1.5–)3–11 cm;
leaflets 9–17(or 19), blades 2–13(–15) mm.
3–9 cm;
leaflets 9–17(or 19), blades 4–18(–21) mm.
(3–)5–15-flowered;
axis 1–4(–4.5) cm in fruit.
4–16-flowered;
axis (2–)3–7 cm in fruit.
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 4.6–5.6(–6) mm, tube 3.8–4.7 mm, lobes 0.5–1.5(–1.7) mm;
corolla ochroleucous, immaculate;
banner 9.5–13.5 mm.
15–30(–40) × 10–18(–22) mm, glabrous;
stipe 2–4.5 mm.
(15–)25–60(–75) × 10–25(–35) mm, glabrous;
stipe 3–6 mm.
18–30.
(13–)15–22.
= 22.
Astragalus whitneyi var. whitneyi
Astragalus whitneyi var. siskiyouensis
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 transparent fruits of var. siskiyouensis, with ovules readily apparent through the walls, are the largest for the species. Variety siskiyouensis occurs in northern Coastal Ranges in California and southwestern Oregon, passing in the Klamath Basin into var. confusus.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
OR
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
