Astragalus serpens
Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., ser. 2, 5: 641. 1895.
Plants perennial, loosely tuft-forming, 3–23 cm; from weak superficial caudex or root-crown; strigose-pilosulous. Stems ascending to erect, diffuse, strigulose. Leaves 1.5–4.5 cm; stipules distinct, 1.5–3.5 mm, papery at proximal nodes, subherbaceous at distal nodes; leaflets (7 or)9–15, blades obovate to oblanceolate or elliptic, 2–9 mm, apex obtuse to emarginate, surfaces strigose-pilosulous abaxially, strigose-pilosulous or glabrate adaxially. Peduncles incurved-ascending, 0.7–2.5 cm. Racemes subumbellate, 2–9-flowered, flowers spreading; axis 0.2–1 cm in fruit; bracts 1–1.5 mm; bracteoles 0. Pedicels 1–1.8 mm. Flowers 6.6–8.6 mm; calyx campanulate, 4.2–5.3 mm, strigulose, tube 2.7–3.5 mm, lobes subulate, 1.1–2.2 mm; corolla purplish to pink-purple or whitish; banner recurved through 90–100°; keel 6.6–7.2 mm, apex narrowly triangular, sometimes beaklike. Legumes deciduous from receptacle, ascending to declined, red or purple throughout or mottled, straight, ovoid or ellipsoid, bladdery-inflated, 13–29 × 7–17 mm, thin becoming papery, strigose; gynophore 0.7–1.5 mm. Seeds 7–22.
Phenology: Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat: Sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, aspen, and aspen-fir communities mainly on igneous gravel.
Elevation: 2000–2800 m.
Discussion
Astragalus serpens is an uncommon plant of the Marysvale volcanic centrum in eastern Piute, western Wayne, and southern Sevier counties.
Selected References
None.