Astragalus brauntonii

Plants coarse, 70–150 cm, villous-tomentulose. Stems erect or ascending, fistulose, white and villous-tomentulose. Leaves (3–)4–16 cm; stipules 3–10 mm, submembranous becoming papery; leaflet blades oblong-ovate or -obovate to lanceolate-elliptic, 3–20 mm, apex acute, obtuse and apiculate, or apiculate, surfaces villous-tomentulose. Peduncles spreading or incurved-ascending, 2.5–9 cm. Racemes 35–60-flowered; axis 3.5–10(–14) cm in fruit; bracts 2.5–5 mm; bracteoles 0. Pedicels 0.5–1.5 mm. Flowers 9.1–11.7 mm; calyx 6.2–8.1 mm, villous-villosulous, tube 3.3–4.1 mm, lobes lanceolate-acuminate to caudate, 2.5–5(–6) mm; corolla keel 6.4–8.5 mm. Legumes stramineous, 6.5–9 × (2.5–)3–4 mm, thinly fleshy becoming stiffly papery, villous or villous-tomentulose; gynophore 0.5–0.7 mm.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–Jul.
Habitat: Disturbed sites and openings in chaparral, on granitic or sandstone substrates.
Elevation: 10–600 m.

Calif.

Discussion

Astragalus brauntonii, distinguished by ligneous stems that develop after a year or two and a covering of spreading and entangled white hairs, is found near Los Angeles in Los Angeles and Orange counties. It is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa