Astragalus beathii

Plants coarse, forming bushy clumps, 25–60 cm, strigulose; from superficial caudex. Stems erect to ascending, becoming stout, fistulose, strigulose, sometimes glabrate proximally. Leaves 6–12(–15) cm; stipules 3–9.5 mm, submembranous becoming papery-scarious, pal­lid; leaflets 11–21(or 23), blades narrowly elliptic-oblanceolate to broadly obovate or oblong-obovate, 5–25 mm, apex obtuse to retuse, surfaces proximally glabrous, distally pubescent abaxially, glabrous adax­ially. Peduncles incurved-ascending, (2.5–)4–10 cm. Racemes 10–27-flowered, flowers spreading-ascending; axis 3.5–10 cm in fruit; bracts 2–4.2 mm; bracteoles 0–2. Pedicels 0.9–3 mm. Flowers (17–)20–25(–27) mm; calyx (7.7–)8.2–10.5 mm, sparsely to densely strigulose, tube (5.3–)5.7–7.8 mm, lobes subulate, 1.8–3.1 mm; corolla purple, wing tips pale or white; banner recurved through 40°; keel (9.6–)11.2–16.4 mm, apex bluntly triangular. Legumes firmly attached to receptacle, falling while attached to pedicel, deflexed or declined, green or purplish green becoming stramineous, straight or slightly incurved, narrowly to plumply oblong-ellipsoid, somewhat obcompressed, 20–39 × 7–11 mm, sub-bilocular, thick, fleshy becoming leathery, glabrous or minutely puberulent; septum 1.3–2.3 mm wide; stipe 0–0.6 mm. Seeds 29–52. 2n = 24.

Phenology: Flowering late Mar–May.
Habitat: Sandy flats, red clay knolls, and gullied washes in badlands, Atriplex, Ephedra, matchweed, Yucca, and galleta communities, seleniferous substrates of Moenkopi Formation.
Elevation: 1200–1500 m.

Distribution

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Ariz.

Discussion

Astragalus beathii is a locally abundant, narrow endemic, found near Cameron, in Coconino County.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.