118 Inflati 



not connate. Stems rather stout and sulcate, 2-3 ft. high, with inter- 

 uodes rarely 3 cm. long, flexuous, from a woody base. Pubescence 

 variably hoary. Lower Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys and over 

 to Monterey and San Luis Obispo. Not often collected. 



72. Astragalus curtipes Gray Proc. Cal. Acad. 3 103 (1868). A. 

 leucopsis var. curtipes Jones. Iragacantha Kuntze. Pods half-oval- 

 ovate, 3-4 cm. long and 2 cm. wide, sulcate ventrally, sharply triangular- 

 acute, truncate at base or very abruptly contracted into a stipe as long 

 as calyx and set at right angles to it, nearly erect, translucent and 

 very thin and greatly inflated, rather few on a short rachis. Flowers 

 white, with exserted claws, in a short spike 2-4 cm. long, soon reflexed 

 but calyx ascending in fruit. Banner broadly elliptical, 7-8 mm. long, 

 arched remotely from calyx to 45 degrees, with sides reflexed about 

 1 mm. wide in the middle, about 2 mm. longer tuan wmgs, not very 

 fleshy. Wings broadly linear, obtuse, arched a little, vemy, about 1 

 mm. longer than keel. Keel arched from base to about a half circle, 

 very obtuse, about 4 mm. high and long. Calyx tube campanulate, 4 

 mm. long and 3 mm. high, rather truncate at base and inserted near 

 the lower corner, cleft deeper above and oblique, the triangular nig- 

 rescent teeth a little unequal and a little over half as long as tube. 

 Pedicels stout, about as long as the ovate to lanceolate bracts, 2 mm. 

 long. Peduncles 1-2 dm. long, 3-4 times as long as fruiting rachis. 

 Leaves slender, and not rigid, 6-10 cm. long, narrow, with slender 

 rachis, and petioles even the upper 2 cm. long. Leaflets broadly linear, 

 not thick, 1-1.5 cm. long, rounded, not contiguous, about 15 pairs. 

 Internodes rarely 3 cm. long. Stems rather slender, erect or ascending 

 from a woody base, often with very short internodes and leaves con- 

 gested later in the season, 1-2 ft. high. Stipules conspicuous, hyaline, 

 connate throughout, often 1 cm. long. Pubescence veiy minute and 

 ashy. San Luis Obispo California. This has been much confused. It 

 is described by Gray as having pendulous pods, but this seems to be due 

 to the reversal of the pods which sometimes occurs in pressing. The 

 leaflets are described as refuse and 13-33, they arc seldom notched and 

 the pairs are many. Most of the material referred to this belongs with 

 leucopsis. 



73. Astragalus leucopsis T. & G. Fl. 1 694 (1840) as Phaca and 

 Torr. Mex. Bound. 56 t. 16 (1859). Phaca canescens Nutt., Tragacan- 

 tha Kuntze. Pods oblately half-oval and very obtuse at both ends, 

 merely apiculate and about 2.5 cm. long and 1.5 cm. wide in the 

 type, with the ventral suture somewhat arched and sulcate, papery 

 and translucent, abruptly rounded to the stipe which is about 1 cm. 

 long, cross section seemingly about round but a little flattened above, 

 but really triangular-obcordate when fresh, about pendent. Flowers 

 1-1.5 cm. long, rather thick and in the type stubby with the banner 

 but little longer than the wings, and ascending about 45 degrees 

 to 90 degrees remote from calyx tips, greenish cream colored, loose- 

 ly spicate. Banner boardly ovate, with sides reflexed above and 

 6-8 mm. long, petals with claws inclined to be exserted. Wings 

 narrowly obtuse, nearly straight, close pressed to keel and then 

 flaring above, arched a little, about 2 mm. wide and 2 mm. longer 

 than keel or less, half-oblanceolate. Keel about 5 mm. long, with 

 rather convex base and then abruptly rounded to erect, the tip tri- 

 angular, obtuse and about 3 mm. high. Calyx hyaline, inserted on 

 the lower corner and rather truncate but not oblique when fresh, a 

 little narrowed at mouth and cleft deeper above, a little laterally 

 flattened, about 3 mm. long and nearly as high, teeth subulate, un- 

 eniial and little longer than half the tube. Pedicels stout, about 2 

 mm. long and as long as the triangular-subulate greenish bracts with 

 reflexed tips. Peduncles strict, often a foot long, sulcate, rather 

 lo^ie:. nearly sessile, with slender rachis. Leaflets elliptical, mostly 

 notched, flat and rather thin, long-petiolulate and cuneate at base, 



