Plants annual or biennial, (3–)6–27(–30) cm, strigulose; from superficial root-crown; taproot slender. Stems single or to 3, prostrate to ascending or erect, strigulose. Leaves (1.5–)2–10.5(–12) cm; stipules distinct, 1.5–4 mm, thinly herbaceous or submembranous; leaflets (3–)7–13, blades linear, linear-oblong, oblanceolate, or linear-elliptic, rarely obcordate, 3–18 mm, apex obtuse to retuse, surfaces strigose abaxially, strigose or glabrous adaxially. Peduncles incurved-ascending, 0.6–2.5 cm. Racemes 2–8-flowered, flowers ascending; axis 0.3–1.5 cm in fruit; bracts 0.7–2 mm; bracteoles 0–2. Pedicels 0.6–1.5 mm. Flowers 5–7.6 mm; calyx campanulate, (2–)2.7–3.8(–4) mm, strigose, tube 1.5–2.5 mm, lobes subulate to lanceolate, 0.6–1.5 mm; corolla whitish, suffused with purple, or pink-purple; banner recurved through 45°; keel 3.8–4.8 mm, apex obtuse, deltate. Legumes spreading to declined, green or suffused purple, becoming stramineous, straight or slightly incurved, obliquely ovoid, bladdery-inflated, 15–24 × 6–12 mm, unilocular or semibilocular, thin becoming papery, strigose, hairs straight, appressed; seed-bearing flange 0.2–1.5 mm wide. Seeds 7–18.

Distribution

w United States.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

The drab flowers and inflated fruits of Astragalus geyeri are mostly tucked among the leaves. Of all the species of sect. Inflati, A. geyeri has the largest geo­graphic range.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri, Astragalus geyeri var. triquetrus

Key

1	Legume not inflexed, unilocular, sutures rounded dorsally; leaflet blades usually linear-oblong, narrowly oblanceolate, or linear-elliptic, rarely obcordate; Washington and Montana southward to California and Colorado but not nw Arizona or adjoining s Nevada.	Astragalus geyeri var. geyeri
1	Legume inflexed, semibilocular, sutures sulcate dorsally; leaflet blades broadly oblanceolate or elliptic; nw Arizona, adjoining s Nevada.	Astragalus geyeri var. triquetrus