Astragalus shevockii
Brittonia 29: 376, fig. 1. 1977.
Plants slender, 10–35 cm, strigulose-pilose; from subterranean caudex. Stems prostrate, 1–9 cm underground, strigulose-pilose. Leaves 2.5–6(–6.5) cm; stipules connate-sheathing at proximal nodes, distinct or obscurely connate at distal nodes, 1–5 mm, membranous; leaflets (9 or)11–17, blades elliptic, oblong-elliptic, or obovate, 2–8.5 mm, apex emarginate or obtuse, surfaces strigulose. Peduncles ascending, (3–)4.5–13 cm. Racemes (2–)4–13-flowered, flowers ascending; axis (0.5–)1.5–9 cm in fruit; bracts 1–2 mm; bracteoles 0. Pedicels 1.2–2.6 mm. Flowers 9–9.8 mm; calyx campanulate, 5.4–7.6 mm, villosulous, tube 3.4–4.6 mm, lobes subulate, 1.9–2.3 mm; corolla yellowish, drying ochroleucous, immaculate; banner recurved through 75°; keel 9–9.8 mm. Legumes ascending, green and purple-mottled, incurved, lunately ellipsoid-oblanceoloid, 3-sided compressed, (13–)15–23 × 3.3–4 mm, papery, loosely strigulose-pilosulous; valves inflexed, septum 0–0.5 mm wide; obscurely stipitate, gynophore 1–1.5 mm. Seeds 10–12.
Phenology: Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat: Open Jeffrey pine forests, in granitic sands and pine-needle duff.
Elevation: 1800–2100 m.
Discussion
Astragalus shevockii is known from the High Sierra Nevada of southeastern Tulare County.
The subterranean root-crown, connate proximal stipules, and substipitate fruits persistent on the receptacle of Astragalus shevockii indicate a relationship with sect. Scytocarpi (R. C. Barneby 1977), but the species differs from other members of that section, which have mostly terete or laterally compressed fruits that are neither three-sided nor septate.
Selected References
None.