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Hedysarum occidentale

western hedysarum, western sweet-vetch

sulfur sweetvetch, sulphur hedysarum, sulphur sweet-vetch, white sweetvetch, yellow hedysarum, yellow sweet-vetch

Stems

decumbent to erect, (1.2–)2–9.5 dm.

ascending to erect, 1–6(–9) dm.

Leaves

3.5–23 cm;

stipules 10–17 mm;

leaflets 9–19, blades lanceolate to ovate, elliptic, or oblong, 5–40 × 3–16 mm, veins conspicuous, surfaces usually pubescent, rarely glabrous adaxially.

(3–)7–12 cm;

stipules 8–15 mm;

leaflets (5–)9–17, blades elliptic or lanceolate-oblong, 9–40 × 4.5–15(–21) mm, veins conspicuous, surfaces strigose abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

Racemes

10–50-flowered, axis 4–25 cm in fruit;

bracts 1–4 mm.

(6–)10–60-flowered, axis 2.5–22 cm in fruit;

bracts 2–6 mm.

Peduncles

(3–)6–15 cm.

4.5–16 cm.

Pedicels

1–3.5 mm.

1–3.5(–4) mm.

Flowers

usually declined at anthesis;

calyx 3.5–11 mm;

tube 3–9 mm, puberulent;

lobes subulate to triangular, 0.5–2 mm, equal or nearly so;

corolla usually lavender-pink or lilac- to pink-purple, rarely white, 16–25 mm;

wing auricles connate, linear, nearly equal or equal to claw.

usually declined at anthesis;

calyx 3–6 mm;

tube 1.5–4 mm, puberulent;

lobes triangular to subulate, 1–2.5(–3) mm, equal or nearly so;

corolla yellow to pale yellow, 14–20 mm;

wing auricles connate, linear, nearly equal or equal to claw.

Loments

segments (1 or)2–5, 7–14.5(–18) × 5.6–10.2(–11) mm, margins conspicuously winged, prominently reticulate, pubescent or glabrous.

segments 1–4, 7–13 × 5.5–9 mm, margins conspicuously winged, prominently reticulate, glabrous.

Hedysarum occidentale

Hedysarum sulphurescens

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer.
Habitat Fescue prairies, aspen parklands, pine or spruce woodlands.
Elevation 700–2600 m. (2300–8500 ft.)
Distribution
from USDA
w North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; MT; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

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

Hedysarum sulphurescens is a near ally of H. occidentale, with which it shares a large portion of its range, and from which it differs mainly in flower color. The two taxa are apparently partitioned by subtle habitat differences and seldom occur closely juxtaposed. The morphological differences, though small and of little consequence in other plant groups, seem to support evolutionary processes that keep them separate.

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

Key
1. Leaflet blades usually 2–4 times longer than wide, not or rarely thickened, not especially deciduous; flowers 16–22 mm, usually lilac- to pink-purple, rarely white; widespread.
var. occidentale
1. Leaflet blades mostly 1–2 times longer than wide, becoming thickened, early deciduous; flowers (17–)20–25 mm, pale lavender-pink; w Colorado, e Utah.
var. canone
Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Hedysarum Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Hedysarum
Sibling taxa
H. alpinum, H. boreale, H. sulphurescens
H. alpinum, H. boreale, H. occidentale
Subordinate taxa
H. occidentale var. canone, H. occidentale var. occidentale
Synonyms H. flavescens, H. albiflorum, H. boreale var. flavescens
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 3: 19. (1896) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 24: 251. (1897)
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