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118 THE PEAFLOWER TRIBE. | ‘[ Astragalus. 
1. A. hypoglottis, Linn. (fig. 268). Purple <Astragal.—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 one seed in each cell. 
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. FJ. summer. 
2. &. alpinus, Linn. (fig. 269). Alpine Astragal).—A small, prostrate, 
slightly hairy perennial, the stems branching at the base, a few inches or 
rarely nearly afootlong. Stipules slightly connected with the leafstalk, 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. hypoglottis. Pod pendulous, 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 3 to 6. 
An alpine plant, common in the great mountain-ranges of central and 
northern Europe and Russian and central Asia, and extending far into the 
Arctic regions. In Britain, only in the mountains of Perthshire, Clova and 
Braemar in Scotland. FU. summer. 
3. &. glycyphyllos, Linn. (fig. 270). Sweet Astragal, Milkvetch.— 
A glabrous perennial, of a light green colour; the zigzag stems spreading 
long the ground to the length of 2 feet or even more. Stipules free. 
Leaflets 11, 18, or more, ovate, 1 to 14 inches long, the common leafstalk © 
fully 6 inches long. Flowers about 6 or 7 lines long, of a dingy yellow, 
spreading or pendulous, in racemes rather shorter than the leaves. Pods 
erect, curved, glabrous, above an inch long, completely divided into 2 cells 
by a thin double partition, with 6 to 8 seeds in each half. 
In rather dry, open woods, and bushy places, over the greater part of 
Europe and Russian Asia, except the extreme north. Not common in 
Britain, although it ranges over a great part of England, especially the 
eastern counties, and southern Scotland, rarer in the north; not recorded 
from Ireland. 4. summer. : 
XII, OXYTROPIS. OXYTROPE. mig 
Low, tufted perennials, only differing from Astragalus in the keel, which 
has asmall point at its extremity, either erect or slightly recurved, and in 
the pod, which has an incomplete longitudinal partition projecting into the 
cavity from the angle next the vexillum (the one which bears the seeds), 
not from the angle next the keel. 
A considerable genus, but not so numerous nor so widely spread as 
