ASTRAGALUS. 



73 



autumn ; rose-coloured, numerous, on 

 short pedicels, in short dense panicles 

 arranged in a long spike. Leaves, 

 biternate, with adnate, half -sheathing 

 stipules; leaflets 1 to 2 in. long, ob- 

 lique, cordate, serrate. N. America, 

 Japan, and Mountains of N. India. 



Grouped with hardy subtropical 



plants, or in isolated tufts on banks, 

 and in semi-wild places in good deep 

 soil. Division. 



Astragalus alpinus (Alpine A.) A 

 prostrate hairy herb, with branching 

 stems varying from a few inches to a 

 foot in length, flowers, in summer ; 

 bluish - purple, sometimes whitish, 

 drooping, in short racemes about \ in. 

 long. Leaves, divided into from 8 to 

 12 pairs of ovate or oblong leaflets, 

 with an odd one. Mountains of 

 Northern Europe and Russian Asia, 



also in Britain, though rare. 



Rockwork, or margins of borders, in 

 ordinary soil. Division. 



Astragalus dasyglottis (Clover A.) 

 A low and pleasing species, nearly 

 allied to A. hypoglottis, but not so tall 

 nor so hairy, with the stipules united, 

 and oblong-obovate bracts nearly as 

 long as the tube of the calyx. Flowers 

 purple, resembling those of a Clover. 

 Leaflets, elliptical-oblong, sometimes 

 emarginate. Flower-stems a little 

 longer than the leaves ; root creeping. 

 The Siberian parts of the Altai Moun- 

 tains. Rockwork and borders, in 



sandy loam. Division. 



Astragalus hypoglottis (Pwrple A.) 

 A hairy prostrate herb. Flowers, 

 in summer ; bluish-purple, in large 

 roundish heads on stalks longer than 

 the leaves ; calyx covered with black 

 and white hairs. Leaves, composed of 

 8 to 10 pairs of oblong dark-green 

 leaflets. There is a white-flowered 

 variety. Europe, Britain, and North 



America. Level spots on rockwork, 



in well-drained sandy loam, or a 

 chalky soil. Seed or division. 



Astragalus galegiformis (Galega-like 

 A.) A hardy plant of large size, re- 

 sembling Galega officinalis, 3 ft. or 

 upwards in height. Flowers, in sum- 

 mer ; very numerous, yellowish-white, 

 in long axillary clusters. Leaves, re- 

 sembling those of Galega officinalis, 

 with lanceolate pointed leaflets. Si- 

 beria and the East. Association 



with the coarser perennials in wild 

 or rough places. Division. 



Astragalus monspessulanus (Mont- 

 pettier A.) A vigorous prostrate species 

 with leaves a span long. Flowers, in 

 early summer ; deep crimson before 

 opening, and pale rosy-lilac when 

 open, with bars of white on the upper 

 petals, in racemes from 2 to 5 in. long, 

 on stalks 6 to 12 in. highf according to 

 the strength of the plant. Leaves, com- 

 posed of 12 to 20 pairs of ovate-acute 

 leaflets, the outer ones the smallest. 



South of France. Front of borders or 



rougher parts of rockwork, or planted 

 so that the shoots may droop over the 

 edge of banks, etc. It thrives in com- 

 mon soil, and is increased by seed and 

 careful division. 



Astragalus Onobrychis (Saintfoin- 

 like A.} A very showy pubescent 

 species, in some varieties dwarf and 

 spreading, in others erect and growing 

 to a height of 18 in. Flowers, in early 

 summer ; purplish-crimson, in oblong- 

 ovate spikes, on stalks longer than the 

 leaves. Leaves, of 7 to 12 or more 

 pairs of oblong leaflets. There are 

 several varieties, alpinus, moldavicus, 

 and microphyllus, all of which are 

 prostrate in habit, and major, an erect 

 growing one. There are also white 

 forms of all the varieties. Europe and 



Siberia. The dwarf varieties are 



admirably adapted for rockwork, and 

 the tall one for borders, or the rougher 

 parts of the rockwork, in a good 

 sandy loam. Division or seed. 



Astragalus pannosus (Shaggy Milk 

 Vetch}. A singular and attractive 



