Plants densely mat- or cushion-forming, suffruticose, 5–28(–37+) cm, strigulose, hairs malpi­ghian, sometimes crinkly, espec­ially on stems; from branched, super­ficial caudex, ± with thatch of persistent leaf bases. Stems strigulose-canescent. Leaves 1–4(–6) cm; stipules 1.5–4.5 mm, subherbaceous becoming papery; leaflets 7–11(–17), blades elliptic to obovate, 1.5–10 mm, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces strigose. Peduncles divaricate or incurved-ascending, 0.8–4.5 cm. Racemes 1–4-flowered, flowers ascending; axis 0–8 mm in fruit; bracts 1.2–3 mm; bracteoles 0–2. Pedicels 0.7–4 mm. Flowers 6–8 mm; calyx 3.7–5.5 mm, strigulose, tube 1.5–2.8 mm, lobes subulate, 1.9–3 mm; corolla pink-purple; banner recurved through 80°; keel 6–7.4 mm. Legumes spreading-ascending, purple-mottled becoming stra­mineous, incurved, obliquely oblong, 3-sided and laterally compressed, 8–10 × 3–4 mm, papery, strigulose, hairs often contorted; gynophore 0–0.8 mm. Seeds 7–10.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Aug.
Habitat: Mixed desert shrub, pinyon-juniper, and ponderosa pine or aspen to spruce-fir communities, on sandstone or sandy substrates.
Elevation: 1100–3100 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ariz., Colo., Utah.

Discussion

Astragalus sesquiflorus forms distinctive mats or so-called powder-puff cushions on sand below escarpments in northeastern Arizona, southwestern Colorado, and southeastern Utah.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.