Astragalus. ] XXV. PAPILIONACEA. 117 
XI. ASTRAGALUS. ASTRAGAL. 
Herbs, with pinnate leaves, and pink, purple, bluish, pale yellow, or 
white flowers, in axillary racemes or spikes, without leafy bracts. 
Stipules entire at the base (not sagittate). Calyx with 5 teeth. Petals 
usually narrow. Keel obtuse. Stamens diadelphous, the upper one 
entirely free. Pod cylindrical or inflated, usually more or less divided 
lengthwise by a complete or partial partition proceeding from the side 
next the keel. Seeds several. 
A very numerous genus, distributed all over Europe, central and 
northern Asia, North America, and down the Andes of South America ; 
penetrating far into the Arctic regions, ascending to high alpine 
summits, and abundant in the hot rocky districts of the Mediterranean 
region. 
Stems 2 or 3 feet long, with large leaflets, and dingy yellow flowers 3. A. glycyphyllos. 
Low plants, with small leaflets, and bluish-purple flowers. 
Flowers 8 or 9 lines long. Pods erect, not twice the length of 
the calyx . : ‘ : , ; : - .. ke An daniens. 
Flowers not 6 lines long. Pods eagaten 3 or 4 times the 
length of the calyx . ; ‘ ; ‘ . Oe A Op ianNas: 
1. A. danicus, Retz. (fig. 26). Piiele my —A low, slightly hairy 
perennial, the stem prostrate, branching at the base, 2 to 5 or 6 
inches long. Stipules free from the leafstalk, but more or less united 
together on the opposite side of the stem. Leaflets usually in 10 to 12 
pairs, with an odd one, 2 or 3 lines long. Flowers of a bluish purple, 
in short spikes, on long axillary peduncles. Calyx sessile, erect, about 
3 lines long, more or less downy with short black hairs. Standard near 
3 times as long as the calyx. Pod shortly stalked within the calyx, 
ovoid, erect, hairy, seldom 6 lines long, and completely divided by a 
longitudinal partition into 2 cells, usually with only 1 seed in each cell. 
Hypoglottis, DC. (not Linn.). 
On dry hilly pastures, in central and northern Europe, Russian Asia, 
and northern America, but not an Arctic plant. In Britain, chiefly in 
eastern, central, and northern England, and southern Scotland ; in 
Ireland, only indicated in the south isles of Aran on the west coast. 
Fl. summer. 
2. A. alpinus, Linn. (fig. 270). Alpine A.—A small, prostrate, 
slightly hairy perennial, the stems branching at the base, a few inches 
or rarely nearly a foot long. Stipules slightly connected with the leaf- 
stalk, but quite free from each other. Leaflets 8 to 12 pairs, with an 
odd one, ovate or oblong. Flowers drooping, of a bluish purple, or 
white tipped with purple, in short close racemes, on rather long 
peduncles; the calyx little more than 1 line; the corolla about 5 lines 
long, with petals broader in proportion than in A. danicus. Pod pen- 
dulous, about 6 lines long, on a stalk about the length of the calyx, 
covered with short black hairs, and partially divided inside by a narrow 
projection from the side next the keel. Seeds 8 to 6. 
An alpine plant, common in the great mountain-ranges of central and 
northern Kurope and Russian and central Asia, and extending far into 
the Arctic regions. In Britain, only in the mountains of Perthshire, 
Clova, and Braemar i in Scotland. Fl. summer. 
3. A. glycyphyllos, Linn. (fig. 271). Milkvetch.—A glabrous peren- 
nial, of a light green colour; the zigzag stems spreading along the 
