145 



ASTRAGALUS VIRGATUS. 



{Twiggy Astragalus.) 

 LINNEAN SYSTEM. „ T „„ rt NATURAL ORDER. 



JNo. 12o. 



DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. LEGUMINOS^: § LOTE^J. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Astragalus (Lin.) Calyx 5-dentatus. Corolla carina, obtusa. Stamina diadelpha. 

 Legumen biloculare aut semibiloculare sutura inferiore introflexa. Herbae aut sufFrutices. — 

 (De Cand. Prod. vol. ii. p. 281.) 



Calyx divided into 5 parts. Corolla with an obtuse keel. Stamens in two sets. Legume 

 either two-celled or half two-celled, having the inferior suture bent inwards. Herbaceous or 

 suffructicose plants. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



A. virgatus ; erectus sufFruticosus subcanescens ; foliolis subsexjugis lineari-lanceolatis 

 acutis ; racemis spicatis valde elongatis ; floribus inferioribus renaotis ; leguminibus oblongis 

 triquetris calyce dupld longioribus. — (De Cand. ut sup. p. 285.) 



Stem ei-ect, suffruticose, rather hoary ; leaflets arranged in about six pairs, linear, lanceolate, 

 acute ; flowers arranged in a long spiked raceme, the lower flowers remote from the rest ; legume 

 oblong, three-sided, as long again as the calyx. 



Astragalus virgatus. — Pallas, A. varius, De Cand., Astrag. No. 34. 



Descr. — Stem about two feet high, branched, hoary, arising from numerous closely -appressed 

 hairs. Leaves alternate, petiolate, containing about six pair of leaflets, terminating with an 

 odd one. Leaflets linear, lanceolate, acute, which, together with the rachis and petiolules, are 

 covered with a pubescence similar to what is found on the stem and branches, but not in such 

 abundance. Stipules two, minute, acute, covered more or less with a blackish pubescence. 

 Peduncle on which the flowers are arranged very long, sparingly canescent streaked. Flowers 

 of a purple-rose colour, scattered, arranged in long spikes, and very shortly pedicellated. 

 Bracts subulate, covered with a blackish pubescence, similar to what is found on the stipules. 

 Calyx about 6 lines long, inflated, obscurely-ribbed, densely covered with a pubescence similar 

 to the bracts, divided at the top into 5 subulate teeth, scarcely three lines long, two of which 

 press on the vexillum, and three surround the keel ; the two upper ones are distant from each 

 other ; the three lower ones somewhat connivent. Vexillum lanceolate, obtuse, pointed, margin 

 recurved, delicately streaked, about nine lines long. Wings linear, obtuse, longer than the 

 keel, and shorter than the vexillum, much paler, and not so delicately or distinctly streaked, 

 as the vexillum. Keel obtuse, concealing the organs of reproduction. Stamens arranged in 

 two sets, 9-1 as long as the style. Pollen orange-coloured, composed of spherical grains, having 

 a transparent line in the centre. Style very long, smooth. Stigma linear, arranged at the 

 back of the style. Ovarium about one-third as long as the style, pubescent, but more abund- 

 antly so along the ventral suture. Ovules (immature) smooth, angular, numerous. 



VOL. III. NO. XXXIV. DECEMBER, 1839- U 



