Astragalus grayi

Plants stout, clump-forming, 15–35 cm, sparsely strigulose; from subterranean caudex. Stems ascending to erect, sparsely strigulose. Leaves (2.5–)4–10 cm; stipules connate-sheathing and papery at proximal nodes, connate or distinct and herbaceous at distal nodes, 2.5–10 mm; leaflets 3–11, blades linear-oblong or oblanceolate, (6–)15–50 mm, margins flat, elevated, apex obtuse to subacute, surfaces strigulose abaxially, glabrous or strigulose adaxially; terminal leaflet decurrent, not jointed to rachis. Peduncles erect and strict, 3–10 cm. Racemes (5–)9–27-flowered, flowers ascending; axis 1–7 cm in fruit; bracts 2.5–7 mm; bracteoles 2. Pedicels 2–7 mm. Flowers 15–22.5 mm; calyx 6.5–10.3 mm, strigose, tube 5.2–8 × 2.9–4.2 mm, lobes subulate, 1.2–2.5 mm; corolla cream; keel (11.5–)12.7–15.2 mm. Legumes erect or ascending, brown or stramineous, ± straight, narrowly oblong or oblong-ellipsoid, terete or somewhat laterally compressed, 9–18 × 2.7–3.5 mm, fleshy becoming stiffly leathery, usually glabrous, rarely strigulose; sessile. Seeds (14–)16–21(–23). 2n = 44.

Phenology: Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat: Clay flats, hills, badlands, with sagebrush, along valley bottoms, in saline meadows.
Elevation: 1100–2100 m.

Mont., Wyo.

Discussion

Astragalus grayi is known from western Wyoming and eastward to Carbon County in Montana.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa