Astragalus ertterae
Aliso 11: 585, fig. 1. 1987.
Plants dwarf, 3–9 cm, pilose; from deep, subterranean caudex. Stems procumbent to ascending, 2–8 cm underground, pilose. Leaves 3–6.5 cm; stipules 2–3 mm, papery-scarious; leaflets 9–13, blades elliptic-oblanceolate or narrowly obovate-cuneate, (6–)8–13 mm, apex obtuse to subemarginate, surfaces pilose. Peduncles erect or slightly spreading, 2–5 cm. Racemes densely 7–17-flowered, flowers ascending-spreading; axis 1–4 cm in fruit; bracts 1.5–2 mm; bracteoles 0. Pedicels 1–1.5 mm. Flowers 10–11.5 mm; calyx campanulate, 5.5–6 mm, loosely strigulose, tube 3.5–4.2 mm, lobes subulate, 1.6–2 mm; corolla ochroleucous, immaculate; banner recurved through 45°. Legumes pendulous (humistrate), brown, sometimes purple-mottled, gently incurved, obliquely ellipsoid to oblanceoloid-ellipsoid, 3-sided compressed, 16–22 × 7–9 mm, unilocular, leathery, glabrous; stipe 1–2 mm. Seeds 18–21.
Phenology: Flowering Apr–early May (fruiting by early Jun).
Habitat: Sandy-loamy granitic soils, pinyon woodlands with canyon live oak.
Elevation: 1700–1900 m.
Discussion
Astragalus ertterae is a rare and local species known from the vicinity of Walker Pass in the southern Sierra Nevada, Kern County.
Selected References
None.