Plants subacaulescent, 4.5–16 cm, loosely strigulose, hairs basi­fixed; from branched caudex, branches with persistent leaf bases. Stems obsolete (0–6 cm), internodes to 0.5 cm, mostly concealed by stipules, loosely strigulose. Leaves 1.5–7 cm; stipules distinct throughout, imbricate, broadly ovate, 2–7 mm, mostly broader than stem, submembranous becoming papery-scarious; leaf­lets 9–17, blades elliptic to obovate or oblanceolate, 2–8 mm, apex obtuse, surfaces strigulose abaxially, strigulose or glabrescent adaxially. Peduncles ascending, 1–6.5 cm. Racemes 3–8(–11)-flowered, flowers ascending; axis 0.5–2.5 cm in fruit; bracts 1.5–4 mm; bracteoles 0. Pedicels 0.7–1.8 mm. Flowers (11.2–)13–15.5 mm; calyx cylindro-campanulate, 5–7.4 mm, strigulose, tube 4–6.2 mm, lobes triangular-subulate, 1–1.5(–2) mm; corolla bicolored, banner whitish or suffused or lined with lilac, wing and keel tips purple; keel 10–12.5 mm. Legumes ascending (humistrate), green, usually red-mottled, becoming stramineous, incurved, obliquely ellipsoid, dorsiventrally to ± 3-sided compressed, 13–22 × 4–6 mm, unilocular, usually leathery, sparsely strig­ulose, hairs appressed, to 1 mm; sessile, gynophore to 0.8 mm. Seeds 22–31.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat: Sandstone outcrops in sagebrush and pinyon-juniper communities.
Elevation: 1500–3000 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Colo., N.Mex., Utah.

Discussion

Astragalus naturitensis is found from west-central Colorado to northeastern San Juan County, Utah, and southward to northwestern New Mexico.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.