Descriptive Flora 



103 



May to November. The poisonous seeds when eaten in quantities 

 of more than an ounce produce harmful effects on sheep and 

 goats, often causing death. 



Astragalus mexioanus A. DC. Ground Plum. Buffalo Weed. 

 (Geoprumnon mexioanum [A. DC] Rydb.) 



Plant with short stems spreading on the ground and spring- 

 ing from a thick, woody perennial root. Leaves pinnately com- 

 pound. Leaflets 17 to 33, usually oblong and hairy on the 

 margin and under surface. Flowers bonnet-shaped, about 1 inch 

 long, whitish or cream-colored tinged with blue or violet, and in 

 clusters of 9 to 15 on long flower stalks that come out of the 

 axils of the leaves. Calyx very hairy, 5-toothed. Pods fleshy, 

 the shape of plums, smooth, purplish, about one inch long, 2- 

 celled, with thick fleshy walls, and many seeds united to the 

 partition walls. February and March. In poor, dry, packed soil 



Astragalus nuttalUanus DC. Milk-vetch 

 {Hamosa nuttalUana [DC] Rydb.) 



Slender-stemmed, sparingly hairy plants, 6 to 18 inches high, 

 with some weak spreading stems and close clusters of tiny, violet, 

 bonnet-shaped flowers at the end of long, axillary stalks. Leaves 

 pinnately compound. Leaflets 11 to 17 (sometimes more), small, 

 rounded or notched at the tip. Flowers in close clusters of 5 or 6 

 (sometimes fewer), violet turning purple with age, and with a 

 white spot at the base of the upper petal. Pods smooth, slightly 

 curved, about %" long, black, grooved on one side. February to 

 June. Commonly mistaken for the true vetch. This plant has 

 no tendrils. Widespread. Very common in waste places, 



Astragalus wrigMii A. Gray. Hairy Milk-vetch. 



Similar to Astragalus nuttalUanus but very hairy, more 

 erect, seldom as large, leaflets fewer (7 to 11, often 15), flowers 

 in dense hairy heads, and pods much shorter, straight and very 

 hairy. March to May. 



