Herbs perennial, selenophytes, loosely tufted, ill-scented, caulescent; caudex usually superficial. Hairs basifixed or malpighian. Stems several to many. Stipules connate or distinct at distal nodes. Leaves odd-pinnate, petiolate; leaflets (5 or)7–21, terminal leaflet usually jointed, rarely confluent. Racemes densely or loosely flowered, flowers ascending. Calyx tubes campanulate or turbinate-campanulate. Corollas whitish to cream, lemon yellow, ochroleucous, reddish to lilac, or pink-purple, banner recurved through 45(–90)°, keel apex obtuse. Legumes eventually deciduous, sessile, erect, ascending, or spreading, ovoid or oblong to ellipsoid, compressed dorsiventrally, laterally, or obcompressed, unilocular. Seeds 4–17.

Distribution

w United States.

Discussion

Species 3 (3 in the flora).

Section Ocreati consists of two subsections distributed from southern Nevada eastward and northward to northern New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming. The subsections are: subsect. Ocreati (A. Gray) Barneby (Astragalus flavus, A. sophoroides); and subsect. Moencoppenses Barneby (A. moencoppensis).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Astragalus flavus, Astragalus moencoppensis, Astragalus sophoroides