Astragalus inversus

Plants slender, 20–50 cm, sparsely strigulose; from superficial caudex. Stems indistinctly flexuous (if at all), spreading to prostrate, sparsely strigulose. Leaves (3–)5–12 cm; stipules connate-sheathing and papery-membranous at proximal nodes, distinct and herbaceous at distal nodes, 1.5–5 mm; leaflets 5–11, blades linear, linear-oblanceolate, -elliptic, or filiform, (2–)5–25 mm, apex acute to subacute, surfaces strigulose; terminal leaflet sometimes decurrent distally, not jointed to rachis. Peduncles divaricate and incurved, (2–)4–20 cm. Racemes (3–)5–15(–22)-flowered, 1 per leaf axil; axis (1.5–)2–10 cm in fruit; bracts 1–2.5 mm; bracteoles 0–2. Pedicels 0.6–1.5 mm. Flowers 9.4–12.2 mm; calyx subcylindric to campanulate, 3.5–5 mm, strigulose, hairs black and white, tube 3–4 × 2.3–2.8(–3.1) mm, lobes triangular, 0.6–1 mm; corolla pinkish red, with darker red veins, keel and wings buff-yellow, banner white-tipped; banner recurved through 35–45°; keel incurved through 40–85°, blades longer than claws, 8.2–10 mm, apex obtuse and beaklike. Legumes brown or stramineous, sometimes initially mottled, straight or slightly curved, linear-oblong or linear-lanceoloid, strongly laterally compressed, 15–35 × 3–4 mm, thinly fleshy becoming leathery, strigulose or if glabrous then mottled; stipe (4–)6–14 mm. Seeds 13–17.

Phenology: Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat: Among sagebrush, xeric pine forests, dry basaltic or pumice soils.
Elevation: 1200–1900 m.

Calif.

Discussion

Astragalus inversus, a relatively tall, rushlike plant restricted to northeastern California, is readily distinguished from A. filipes by its few, remote leaflets, rather bicolored flowers, and mottled fruit.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa