iU6 Inflati 



Astragalus triflorus var. playanus (Jones Cont. 8 6 (1898) as 

 species ) This is a robust form with pods about 3 cm. long, half- 

 oval when young and always somewhat oblique. Pubescence almost 

 none or minute. Leaflets nearly linear and 2 cm. long. Flowers 

 white or purple. This is the common form of the plains of Texas, 

 New Mexico and Arizona as far west as the Colorado river and north- 

 ward to Flagstaff. It seems quite distinct from A. triflorus but can- 

 not be maintained as it intergrades at all points. It is quite probable 

 that it may grow in Ix)wer California but all forms seen by me seem 

 referable to insularis. Playanus is mostly a winter annual, rarely 

 persisting longer. It blooms from spring to fall. 



49. Astragalus subcinereus Gray Proc. Am. Acad. 13 366 (1878). 

 A. Wootoni Sheldon. Pods rather stiff-papery, but not tissue-like, 

 mostly mottled, 2-3 cm. long, oval to oblong-oval, a little gibbous, 

 seed-bearing for most of the length, variously puberulent, large for 

 the plant, sulcate about 2 mm. deep ventrally and often a little 

 dorsally, base and tip inclined to be turned in opposite directions, 

 either conically pointed at both ends or the tip sometimes only api- 

 culate. Seed stalks about 2 mm. long. Flowers about 8 mm. long, 

 stubby and much incurved after the fashion of pictus and junceus, 

 rather dirty white and banner purple-veined, not over 10, in short 

 racemes, spreading. Banner abruptly arched to erect near end of 

 tube, oval, 4 mm. long, 2 mm. longer than keel. Wings little arched, 

 o'llanceolate, 1 mm. wide, barely a little longer than keel. Keel 

 lunate the base and tip triangular acute and produced, base a little 

 firched, and then abruptly rounded to erect, 3 mm. high. Calyx 

 tube turbinate-campanulate, about 2 mm. long, minutely pubescent 

 with wavy white and closely appressed hairs, tube attached in the 

 middle of the fleshy end, a little oblique at tip and cleft deeper above, 

 the teeth triangular and half to a third the tube. Pedicels in flower 

 not over 2 mm. long and as long as the ovate bracts, biit in fruit 

 often 3 mm. long, inclined to be reflexed. Peduncles 1-3 cm. long, the 

 floral rachis short in flower and flowers spicate, but elongating lo 

 sometimes 1 dm. long in fruit, widely spreading as are the leaves. 

 Leaves slender, often 1 dm. long, all i)etioled but petioles short. 

 Leaflets distant, linear (except the smallest ones), 7-9 pairs, folded, 

 n?hy below, nearly smooth above, refuse, 7-25 mm. long 2-3 mm. wide. 

 Stipules not connate, thick, green, broadly deltoid, reflexed. Inter- 

 nodes 1-2 cm. long. Stems flexuous, single to few, rather stout for 

 the plant, 2-4 dm. long, spreading, whole plants ashy. Winter an- 

 nuals with slender roots. In the southern part of the Navajo Basin 

 .'•nd running over a little on the Rio Grande drainage and following 

 flown the Colorado nearly to the mouth of the Virgin, growing on dry 

 benches and sandy places Lower Temperate life zone. This is separa- 

 ble from A. triflorus by the ashy, not soft, pubescence, by the stiff 

 and large pods, zigzig stems, open habit, and short calyx teeth. Pre- 

 sumably authentic material from Wooton himself in my herbarium 

 and named by Wooton as A. Wootoni is A. subcinereus. 



50. Astragalus scalaris Watson Proc. Am. Acad. 23 270 (1880). Pods 

 4-8 mm. long, 2-3 mm. wide and high, rather triquetrous, half-oval 

 to oblong or oblong-ovate, straight but very oblique, strongly cross- 

 nerved, papery, opening first at tip, deeply and broadly sulcate, with 

 cross section triangular-cordate to almost reniform, smooth, about 

 horizontal, truncate at tip by the abrupt ending of the ventral suture 

 which is straight and with a minute upturned mucro, a trifle wider above 

 and a little narrowed at base, evidently inflated though so small, 

 splitting the calyx, on an evident but very short stipe. Flowers about 

 5 mm. long, very loosely racemose, many, white but purple-tinged above. 

 Banner about 4 mm. long, nearly round, abruptly arched to 45 degrees 

 at end of calyx, with sides reflexed 3 mm. wide to the midrib below, 

 with conical and shallow groove, barely notched, hardly 1 mm. 



