Plants short-lived perennial, sometimes flowering first year, coarse, 7–45(–70) cm, strigu­lose; from subterranean or superficial caudex. Stems ascend­ing to erect or sprawling, flexuous, (0–)1–8 cm under­ground, leafless, strigulose, hairs appressed. Leaves 2–13 cm; stipules connate-sheathing and papery at proximal nodes, distinct or obscurely connate subherbaceous or firmly papery at distal nodes, 1–5.5 mm; leaflets 9–17, blades oblanceolate to linear, 3–20(–25) mm, apex obtuse to retuse, surfaces strigose abaxially, glabrous adaxially. Peduncles 1–6.5 cm. Racemes 9–27-flowered, flowers ascending to declined; axis 2–11.5 cm in fruit; bracts 0.8–2 mm; bracteoles 0. Pedicels 0.7–3.5 mm. Flowers 6.4–8.7 mm; calyx campanulate, 3.3–5.4 mm, strigose, tube 2.3–3.3 mm, lobes broadly subulate or triangular, 0.8–2.2 mm; corolla pink-purple; banner recurved through 90°; keel 6–7.2 mm, apex triangular and beaklike. Legumes spreading to declined, purple-mottled, straight, ovoid, ellipsoid, or subglobose, bladdery-inflated, 17–32 × 12–22 mm, papery, strigose; sessile. Seeds 21–32. 2n = 22.

Phenology: Flowering May–Jul(–Sep).
Habitat: Mixed sandy desert shrub, resinbush, blackbrush, and juniper communities, usually on sand.
Elevation: 1300–1900 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ariz., Colo., N.Mex., Utah.

Discussion

The inflated, purple-mottled legumes of Astragalus fucatus tend to be humistrate or, being pendulous, hang just above the ground like a string of small balloons. Burial of the caudex might be an artifact of the sandy habitats where this species grows. Occasional individuals have legumes greatly elongated and coiled into a complete circle.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.