SparsifroH. 129 



81. Astragalus villosus Mx. Fl. 2 67 (1807), A. Intonsus Sheldon. 

 Phaca villosa (Mx.) Niitt. Pods about 2 cm. long, acuminate at butb. 

 ends, narrowly lunate, appearing as if lanceolate but not larger 

 below, about 3 mm. high in the middle, rather deeply sulcate dor- 

 sally. Flowers about 1 cm. long, in oblong heads, rather many, 

 white or cream-colored. Banner about 6 mm. long, strongly arched 

 near the end of the tube to nearly erect, about 4 mm. longer than 

 keel and 2-3 mm. longer than wings. Wings about 1 mm. wide, con- 

 spicuously arched. Keel about 4 mm. long, barely surpassing the 

 calyx lobes, with the base arched and then abruptly erect to the 

 triangular tip which is acute and slightly turned out and cuspidate. 

 Calyx tube 2-3 mm. long, green, obliquely campanulate, the lower 

 side somewhat narrowed at the pedicel and the upper side inclined 

 to be saccate, but pedicel inserted in the middle of the end; teeth 

 broad with triangular base and subulate above, as long as or nearly 

 twice as long as tube. Bracts lanceolate, green, 2-3 mm. long, 

 longer than the fruiting pedicels. Peduncles about 1 dm. long, the 

 fruiting rachis about 2 cm. long. Stems very weak, with many 

 rather short internodes, hardly a foot long, nearly prostrate, much 

 branched below and from very slender underground stems, the lower 

 internodes with large overlapping stipules which are rather connate 

 behind the petioles but not in front, and adnate, green, 1 cm. long, 

 triangular- acuminate, reflexed. Leaves lax, 1 dm. long or less, with 

 weak and scarcely tapering rachis. Leaflets 6-8 pairs, the terminal 

 one the largest, and gradually smaller below, about oval, rounded, 

 rarely notched, the base not noticeably cuneate, short-petiolulate, the 

 largest rarely 8 mm. long, thin. Pubescence, loose, long, of very 

 filender, twisted, blunt, straight hairs, someewhat spreading, and 

 never very dense, the upper side of leaves smooth, tlhe calyx, 

 pods, peduncles and stems shaggy. Dry pine barrens from South 

 Carolina to Florida and westward to Louisana and Missouri. Lower 

 part of Lower Temperate to the Tropical life zone. Blooms from 

 March to May. I keep up the name of Michaux instead of the inton- 

 sus of Sheldon for the reason that the A. villosus of Gueldenst. It. 2 

 178 seems to have been only incidently named. 



82. Astragalus obcordatus Ell. Sketchb. 2 227 (1822) A. ElliottI 

 Dietr., Tragacantha Kuntze, Tium Rydb. Pods crescent shaped, 2-3 

 cm. long, about 7 mm. high, acute at both ends, chartaceous, smooth, 

 sulcate nearly to the middle dorsally, very shortly-stipitate, the sides 

 inclined to concave, walls with raised reticulations. Flowers 5-8 mm. 

 long, pale-purple or nearly white, loosely spicate, 5-15. Banner 4-6 mm. 

 long, arched rather abruptly at end of teeth to erect, with reflexed 

 sides 1-2 mm. longer than wings which are about 1 mm. longer than keel 

 and much arched. Keel with straight base and abruptly erect and 

 blunt tip mostly purplish, about 3 mm. long. Calyx rather narrowly 

 campanulate, hyaline, the tube 2 mm. long, rather narrowed below and 

 Inserted a little below the middle of the end, sparsely appressed- 

 short-pubescent, teeth narrowly triangular, as long as tube, the lower 

 the longer and arched. Bracts minute, ovate, shorter than the short 

 and filiform pedicels. Peduncles filiform, 5-10 cm. long. Leaves 

 7-10 cm. long, with filiform rachis. Leaflets obcordate, rarely 6 mm. 

 long, with short-cuneate base, rather long-petiolulate, 71 2 pairs, the 

 central ones the largest and tapering both ways on rachis. Stems 

 as in villosus. but stipules minute. Whole plant except the calyx 

 smooth. Among scrub oaks and in dry pine barrens Florida to Geor- 

 gia. Blooming in March and April. Tropical. A very close rela- 

 tive of A. villosus. 



83. Astragalus sparsiflorus Gray Proc. Phil Acad. 2 7 60 (1863) 

 name only, and Proc. Am. Acad. 6 205 (1864). Tium varlegatum Ryd- 

 berg. Pods 5-10 mm. long, larger above, obovate to clavate-oblong 



