Astragalus mollissimus var. matthewsii
Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 13: 746. 1964.
Plants acaulescent or subacaulescent. Stems to 1.5 cm, obscured by imbricate stipules. Leaves (3–)5–12 cm; stipules (3–)4–8 mm; leaflets 11–23, blades obovate, 3–12 mm. Peduncles scapiform, (1.5–)2.5–8 cm. Racemes (5–)7–12-flowered; axis (0.5–)1–4.5 cm in fruit, not or scarcely surpassing foliage. Flowers: calyx 10–13 mm, tube 7–8.6 × 3.4–4.7 mm, lobes 2.4–5.2 mm; corolla pale purple; banner 18.5–22.5 mm; keel 14.2–18 mm. Legumes gently or abruptly incurved distally, broadly ovoid, turgid, 12–18 × 7–13 mm, widest near obtuse or truncate base, densely villous-tomentose; beak bilocular. Seeds 24–31.
Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat: Open slopes and hilltops, in ponderosa pine forests, along canyons to juniper-pinyon belt, on light, sandy or gravelly, sedimentary, granitic, or volcanic soils.
Elevation: 1900–2600 m.
Discussion
Variety matthewsii is scattered and uncommon in Apache County in eastern Arizona and from Santa Fe to McKinley counties in the mountains of north-central and northwestern New Mexico.
Selected References
None.