194 



the lo'vx est axils, tapering. Leaves 5-7 cm. long, about twice as long 

 as the internodes, nearlj^ sessile. Leaflets rather truncate to notched, 

 iiiostly linear-cuneate, sometimes cuncate-oblong, the upper pairs on 

 ihe rachis a little shorter, 8-10 pairs, about 1 cm. long, rarely 2 cm. 

 .ong, long-petiolulaie, stibalternate, thickish, the upper sides less pu- 

 beruient. Stems 1-2 ft. high, flexuous, bushy-branched, inclined to be 

 decumbent, very open, from slender and often underground root bran- 

 ches. Stipules rigid, triangular, reflexed, the upper about 5 mm. long. 

 ■The type is the common form from Colorado and central New Mexico 

 .in the Sierra Blanca and northward to the Saskatchewan and Nebras- 

 ka on dry foothills and prairies. It also occurs or the Pacific slope at 

 Durango Colorado (Diehl). Middle Temperate life zone. This varies 

 toward A. gracilentus at the south but flowers smaller and pods rarely 

 inflated. 



Astragalus flexuosus var. elongatus (Hook. Fl. Bor Am. 1 140 

 1830 as Phaca;. Pods sulcate at both sutures, conspicuously tapering 

 and much obcompressed at base, arcuate, barely 3 mm. wide. Flowers 

 smaller and white Leaflets cuneate-oblong. This is the common 

 form fro.n Montana northward, though sporadic plants occur through 

 the entire region. 



Astragalus fls.iuosus var. Fendleri (Gray) Jones Cont. 10 62 (1902). 

 Phaca Fendlen viray PI. Fend. 36 (1849;. Pods straight, rather larger 

 above, with both sutures convex and about equallj' so, tapering at base, 

 smooth, on a stipe half as long as the calyx, rather rounded at tip and 

 apiculate, with chartaceous walls, few, mostly in short racemes, about 

 round in cross-section, a little sulcate. pendent. Flowers purple. Ca- 

 lyx lobes minute. Leaflets elliptical to narrowly oblong. Glenwood 

 .Springe to Salida and southward to Durango Colorado among juni- 

 pers. Upper edge of the ^Middle Temperate life zone. 



154 Astragalus Diehlii N. Sp. Pods 1-1.5 cm. long, sessile, pen- 

 dent, oblong, ashy, about 3 mm. wide and high, about straight or the 

 dorsal suture a little concave, obtuse at both ends or only triangular- 

 apiculate at tip, rarely a trifle narrower below, cross-section obovate 

 to a little cordate, ventral suture conspicuously convex (the pods ap- 

 pearing wrong side up), the tip in line with the dorsal suture or nearly 

 so, surface ashy. Flowers about 7 mm. long, light-colored. Pedun- 

 cles shorter than the leaves and mostly half as long as the floral rachis 

 but rarely forms occur with longer peduncles. Leaves about 5-7 cm. 

 long. Leaflets 5-9 pairs, cuneate-linear, 1-1.5 cm. long. Stems very 

 tortuous, from slender underground branches of the thick and woody 

 crown of the strong and erect root. Adobe plains at l'"arnham Utah 

 as to the type. Lower Temperate life zone. This may be only an ex- 

 treme form of A. flexuosus. 



155 Astragalus gracilentus Gray PI. Fend. 36 (1849) as Phacp. 

 and Proc. Am. Acad. 6 22i (1864). Pods sessile, half-elHptical, 1.5-1.8 

 cm. long, 4 mm. high, 3 mm. wide just below the middle, finely reticu- 

 lated, little rugulose, shortly acuminate and apiculate, not sulcate.' mi- 

 nutely hairy, with cross-section triangular-ovate, the ventral suture 

 straight or nearly so and tip in line with it, splitting the calyx and 

 rounded at base, on pedicels about 2 mm. long, and with minute bracts 

 on the rach.is. P'lowers about 1 cm. long, shortly racemose, ascending 

 when young. Banner oval, about 5 mm. long, abruptly arched to erect 

 at end at calyx teeth and 2-2> mm. longer than k«el. Wings narrow 

 and a little longer than keel. Keel with straight base, then abruptly 

 erect and 3 mm. high, about 4 mm. long, the tip triangular and apicu- 

 late. Flowers rather stubby. Calyx tube 3 mm. long, the triangular 

 and very unequal teeth about half as long as tube, cleft much deeper 

 above, slightly oblique at base, half as wide as long, ashy with slightly 

 spreading hairs. Peduncles about as long as leaves and equaling the 

 fruiting rachis. Leaves 5-7 cm. long. Leaflets 6-8 pairs, notched and 

 rounded, cuneate-oblong. about .5-1 cm. long. Stems slender from a 

 woody base. Mountains of New Mexico about Santa Fee. Middle 

 and Lower Temperate life zones, blooming April to May, fruiting in 



