Oxytropis campestris var. cusickii
Oxytropis campestris var. roaldii
Cusick's field crazyweed, Cusick's field locoweed, Cusick's locoweed, Cusick's oxytrope, field locoweed, yellow locoweed
roald's locoweed
1.2–12 cm;
stipules glabrous or sparsely pilose proximally, margins ciliate or eciliate;
leaflets 7–15(–17), opposite, subopposite, or scattered, blades 4–23 mm.
2–11 cm;
stipules glabrous or strigose abaxially, margins ± ciliate, apex often bristly;
leaflets 11–21, scattered or opposite, blades 4–8.5 mm.
3–15-flowered, subcapitate to somewhat elongate.
usually 8–12(–14)-flowered, subcapitate or somewhat elongate.
prostrate to erect, 2–19 cm, glabrate, appressed-pilose, or villous-pilose, axis 0.5–3(–6) cm in fruit.
3–12 cm, axis 1.5–4.5 cm in fruit.
whitish or yellowish throughout, keel tip usually not maculate, 14–18(–20) mm.
lavender or pink-purple, sometimes polychrome, 13–16(–17) mm.
tube 6–9 mm, lobes 1–3.5(–4) mm.
tube (3.7–)4.5–5 mm, lobes (1–)1.2–2(–2.7) mm.
10–19 × 3.5–5(–6) mm.
9–15 × 4–6 mm.
= 48.
= 64.
Oxytropis campestris var. cusickii
Oxytropis campestris var. roaldii
Variety cusickii is highly variable in flower size, especially where the large-flowered Oxytropis sericea var. speciosa occurs nearby. The existence of apparently transitional populations demonstrates the absence of consistent diagnostic features to separate what are, otherwise, rather distinctive taxa. The flowers seldom fade to a relatively bright yellowish on drying, as in O. sericea var. speciosa. It is not always possible to distinguish specimens of var. cusickii from var. spicata. Those materials traditionally passing as var. cusickii often occur in near proximity to var. spicata, which occurs at lower elevations on the same mountain ranges.
Oxytropis alpicola (Rydberg) M. E. Jones is an illegitimate name that pertains here.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Variety roaldii has flowers that are usually larger, calyx lobes that are usually longer, and other subtle differences aside from flower color that allow segregation from var. jordalii. However, there are intermediate specimens, and in some places, especially on gravel bars, flower color grades within populations. A similar pattern is to be noted between the partially sympatric vars. davisii and spicata in the mountains of Alberta, and between other varieties situated elsewhere. The Pan-Arctic Flora (http://panarcticflora.org/) recognizes Oxytropis roaldii as a distinct species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
BC, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites:
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
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- Encyclopedia of Life
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