Astragalus lentiformis

Plants slender, 9–18(–25) cm, gray-villosulous; from super­ficial caudex; taproot woody. Stems ascending, diffusely spreading, densely gray-villosulous. Leaves 1.2–3.5 cm; stipules connate-sheathing at proximal nodes, distinct at dis­tal nodes, to 7 mm, submem­branous proximally, firm or herbaceous distally; leaflets 7–15, blades narrowly obovate or elliptic, 2–10 mm, apex obtuse to subacute, surfaces villosulous abaxially, glabrate adaxially. Peduncles incurved-ascending, 0.4–1.6 cm. Racemes 5–10-flowered, flowers declined; axis 0.4–1.6 cm in fruit; bracts 1.5–3 mm; bracteoles 0. Pedicels 1–1.8 mm. Flowers 6.2–7 mm; calyx campan­ulate, 3.6–4.5 mm, white-villosulous, tube 2.2–2.9 mm, lobes subulate, 1.3–2.3 mm; corolla ivory-yellow, drying yellowish; banner recurved through 50°; keel 4–4.9 mm, apex deltate, obscurely beaklike. Legumes declined, stramineous, straight, symmetrically or subsymmetrically lenticular-oblong, 3-sided compressed, 5–8.5 × 2.5–3 mm, thin becoming papery, villosulous. Seeds 6–10.

Phenology: Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat: Sagebrush and Jeffrey pine com­munities.
Elevation: 1400–1800 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Calif.

Discussion

Astragalus lentiformis, locally common, is restricted to the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada in Plumas and Sierra counties.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.