18. Astragalus Gracilis Nutt. Slender Milk Vetch

Fig. 2551

Dalea parviflora Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 474. 1814.

Not A. parviflorus Lam. 1783. Astragalus gracilis Nutt. Gen. 2: 100. 1818. Astragalus microlobus A. Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. 6:

203. 1864. Astragalus parviflorus MacM. Met. Minn. 325. 1892.

Slender, erect, or ascending, finely pubescent, 1°-2° high, simple or nearly so. Stipules ovate, acute or acuminate, 1 1/2"-3" long; leaflets 7-21, narrowly linear to linear-oblong, distant, obtuse, truncate or emarginate at the apex, 4"-12" long, scarcely 1" wide; flowers purple, 3"-4" long, in narrow elongated spike-like racemes; pedicels 1" long or less; pods I-celled, sessile in the calyx, pendent, straight, coriaceous, ellipsoid, finely ap-pressed-pubescent with white hairs, or at length glabrous or nearly so, transversely veined, 2"-3" long.

Prairies and plains, Minnesota to Montana, Missouri, Texas, Colorado and Wyoming. May-June.

19. Astragalus Flexudòus (Hook.) Dougl. Flexile Milk Vetch

Fig. 2552

Phaca elongata Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 140. 1830. Not Astragalus elongatus Willd. 1803. Phaca flexuosa Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 141. 1830. Astragalus flexuosus Dougl.; Hook. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 140. 1830.

Erect or ascending, finely pubescent, branching from the base, 1°-1 1/2° high. Stipules ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 2" - 3" long; leaflets 9-21, linear, oblong or oblanceolate, obtuse or emarginate at the apex, narrowed or cuneate at the base, 3"-6" long; peduncles exceeding the leaves; flowers purple or purplish, 4"-5" long; pod I-celled, sessile, cylindric, linear or linear-oblong, puberulent, dehiscent, pointed, 8"-12" long.

Prairies and plains, Minnesota to Kansas, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Colorado. June-Aug.