VOT,. II.] 



PEA FAMILY. 



297 



i. Astragalus crassicarpus Nutt. 

 Ground Plum. (Fig. 2125.) 



Astragalus crassicarpus Nutt. Fraser's Cat. 1813. 

 Astragalus carnosus Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 740. In 



part. 1814. 

 Astragalus caryocarpus Ker, Bot. Reg. 2: pi. 176. 



1816. 



Appressed-pubescent, branching at the base, 

 branches decumbent or ascending, 6 / -i5 / long, 

 mostly simple. Stipules ovate, acute, 2 // -3 // 

 long; leaflets 15-25, oblong, elliptic or sometimes 

 obovate, obtuse, narrowed at the base, 3 // -6 // 

 long, iW-2%" wide; peduncles equalling or 

 shorter than the leaves; flowers violet-purple, 8"- 

 9" long, in short racemes; pods sessile, thick, 

 fleshy, completely 2-celled, indehiscent, glabrous, 

 globose or oval, short-pointed, 8 // -i2 // in diameter. 



Prairies, Minnesota to Manitoba and the North- 

 west Territory, south to Iowa, Colorado and Texas. 

 Fruit edible, collected by prairie-dogs for their win- 

 ter store. April-June. 



3. Astragalus Plattensis Nutt. Platte 

 Milk Vetch. (Fig. 2127.) 



Astragalus Plattensis Nutt.; T. & G. Fl. N. A. i: 

 332. 1838. 



Villous-pubescent with spreading hairs, pros- 

 trate or ascending, 6'-i i' high or long. Leaflets 

 13-29, oblong to obovate, obtuse at the apex, nar- 

 rowed at the base, 4 // ~9 // long, about 2 /x wide; 

 stipules broad, ovate, pointed, 3 // -4 // long; flow- 

 ers yellowish-white or tipped with purple, about 

 9 /x long, in short heads; pod sessile, ovoid, 

 pointed, fleshy, indehiscent, 2-celled, smooth, 

 loosely pubescent, nearly straight. 



Prairies, Indiana to Minnesota and Nebraska, 

 south to Alabama and Texas. May. 



2. Astragalus Mexicanus A. DC. 

 Larger Ground Plum. 

 (Fig. 2126.) 



Astragalus Mexicanus A. DC. PI. Rar. 



Jard. Gen. 4: 16. 1826. 

 Astragalus trichocalyx Nutt. ; T. & G. Fl. 



N. A 1:332. 1838. 



Similar to the preceding species, but 

 less pubescent and with the hairs some- 

 what spreading. Leaflets 17-33, oblong 

 to obovate, obtuse or emarginate at the 

 apex, narrowed at the base; flowers yel- 

 lowish-white, or purplish at the tip, 9"- 

 12" long, in short racemes; pod sessile, 

 thick, fleshy, indehiscent, glabrous, glo- 

 bose, not pointed, I'-iX' * n diameter. 



Prairies, Illinois to Nebraska, south to 

 Arkansas and Texas. Fruit edible. May. 



