Astragalus welshii
Intermount. Fl. 3(B): 130, plate [p. 131], fig. s.n. [lower left]. 1989.
Plants acaulescent, 4–20 cm, appressed-pilose, hairs incipiently malpighian, attached shortly distal to base; from branched caudex, branches with thatch of persistent leaf bases. Leaves 3–20 cm; stipules 5–15 mm; leaflets 5–11(or 13), blades lanceolate to elliptic or obovate, 6–25 mm, apex acute, surfaces densely strigose. Peduncles recurved in fruit, 1.5–11 cm. Racemes (4 or)5–8-flowered, flowers erect-ascending; axis 0.2–1 cm in fruit; bracts 2.5–6 mm; bracteoles 0–2. Pedicels 1.2–4 mm. Flowers 17.5–23 mm; calyx cylindric, (8.5–)9.5–14 mm, loosely strigulose, tube 7–11 mm, lobes linear-subulate, 1–3.5 mm; corolla ochroleucous or greenish white, often tinged faintly purplish, keel tip purple; banner recurved through 35–45°; keel (14–)15–18.5 mm. Legumes ascending (humistrate in fruit), reddish to stramineous, incurved, plumply ovoid, inflated, moderately obcompressed, (15–)17–23 × 10–15 mm, unilocular, leathery, hirsute, hairs lustrous, to 2+ mm. Seeds 24–38.
Phenology: Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat: Sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, and sagebrush-aspen communities, exclusively on igneous gravel.
Elevation: 2100–2800 m.
Distribution
Utah.
Discussion
Astragalus welshii is known from Garfield, Iron, Kane, Millard, Piute, and Wayne counties in south-central Utah.
Astragalus welshii resembles, and has long been treated as, A. loanus when in fruit, and flowering material of A. welshii has been placed with uncertainty within A. eurekensis. However, A. welshii is more robust, its leaflet blades are more acute, and its fruits and flowers are relatively smaller than those two species.
Selected References
None.