VOL. III.] Contributions to Western Botany. 293 



^ Astragalus eriocarpus Watson. Flowers brilliant pink pur- 

 ple, and closely resembling those of the above, but sides of banner 

 not at all reflexed, either notched ^ a line deep or not at all, as- 

 cending 45° or less; white spot almost obliterated by rather broad, 

 palmate, purple veins, which are united into a solid purple spot at 

 base; sulcus in banner semi-cylindric; wings a line longer than keel. 

 Deep purple tipped, obtuse, scarcely broadened at base, a little nar- 

 rowed at apex; keel dark purole, scarcely incurved, very blunt; 

 flowers nearly as large as in Utahensis, but fewer. It is abundant 

 in the valleys, but not in alkaline soil. 



^ Astragalus aMphioxys Gray. This plant has no characters 

 that I do not find in A. Shortiamis, except the pubescence of the 

 calyx, which in the former is apprcssed and silky or strigose, and 

 in the latter is spreading and loose. The shape of the pods, that 

 both Gray and Watson had to abandon in regard to A. cyaneus, is 

 equally valueless in the new species created. There may be a char- 

 acter in the flowers to keep up the species, as well as the pubescence. 

 I have not studied A. Shortiamis in flower as I have the present 

 species. I have never seen any true A. Shortiamis in Utah or 

 Western Colorado, all the plants belonging to A amphioxys, which 

 is very common. The usual form has the banner of the flower 

 ascending remotely from the calyx, which gives the flower a slender, 

 long look, but there are forms with a short corolla. There are also 

 three forms of pod. One is the typical pod, as described by Gray, 

 not fleshy to any extent. Another has a shorter pod, which is less 

 acute at apex, often small, and rather blunt at base. The other has 

 a very fleshy pod, which, on drying, becomes wrinkled with promi- 

 nent sutures and intermediate in form. While all these forms run 

 together, and have no floral character that is constant, so far as I 

 have seen, they all, without exception, have the appressed pubes- 

 cence of calyx. The floral peculiarities are brilliant pink purple 



. flowers; banner with sides reflexed 10° to 60°, or even more. When 

 little reflexed the outline is oval, when much it is oblong or tapering 

 upward, ascending; sulcus 3 lines broad and very shallow, only 

 concave, 4 lines long, white spot truncate and often deeply notched, 

 oblong or broadly cuneate, ragged on the upper end, with little 

 purple veinlets, stippled with fine purple spots; banner darkest near 

 the white spot, l.ghter on the edge; wings linear to oblong lanceo- 



