Plants caulescent or subacaules­cent, 1.5–10(–18) cm, villous-villosulous, hairs basifixed; from superficial caudex. Stems prostrate and radiating, inter­nodes to 0.5–2(–2.5) cm, con­cealed by stipules or developed, villous-villosulous or glabrate. Leaves (4–)5–15(–20) cm; stipules mostly distinct, broadly ovate or triangular, 2.5–12 mm, submembranous; leaflets 7–31, blades oblanceolate, obovate, or elliptic, 3–17(–20) mm, apex obtuse or emarginate, surfaces villous-villosulous abaxially, sometimes glabrate adaxially. Peduncles incurved-ascending, prostrate in fruit, (1.5–)3–10 cm. Racemes densely (10–)12–20(–25)-flowered, flowers ascending; axis (1.5–)2–8 cm in fruit; bracts 2.5–8.5 mm; brac­teoles 0. Pedicels 1.3–3.6 mm. Flowers 17–23.5 mm; calyx cylindric to deeply campanulate, 10–15 mm, sparsely villous-villosulous, tube (6.8–)7.5–10.5 mm, lobes lanceolate to subulate, 2.5–5.5 mm; corolla bright reddish violet or tinged with violet, white, or whitish; banner incurved 40–50°; keel 12–15.7 mm. Legumes ascending (humistrate), brownish then blackish, ± straight, obliquely ovoid, lanceoloid-ellipsoid, oblong-ellipsoid, or lanceoloid, obcompressed, (17–)20–30 × 7–10 mm, subunilocular, fleshy becoming stiffly leathery or subligneous, glabrous; septum to 1.7 mm wide. Seeds 30–44.

Phenology: Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat: Dry, stony hillsides and benches, on granitic bedrock, in oak thickets, oak-pinyon forests, with sagebrush.
Elevation: 1800–2500 m.

Distribution

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Colo., N.Mex.

Discussion

Astragalus iodopetalus is locally common around the western and southern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.