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Astragalus aretioides
Astragalus aretioides (M.E. Jones) Barneby
Cushion Milkvetch
Fabaceae (Pea family)
Synonym(s): Astragalus sericoleucus var. aretioides, Orophaca aretioides
USDA Symbol: ASAR3
USDA Native Status: L48 (N)
"Technically similar to A. sericoleucus, but pulvinate, the very short stems of the year and the young foliage elevated on repeatedly and closely forking, columnar caudex-branches to form mounded cushions 1-3 dm. in diameter, the herbage commonly more densely silky, satiny-lustrous when young, the longest hairs scarcely over 2 mm. long; stems of the year almost 0 or up to 1.5 cm. long, the internodes mostly concealed by dorsally glabrous (or subglabrous)." (bibref: 1814).
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Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: "Mounded cushions 1-3 dm. in diameter." (bibref: 1814).
Leaf: "Ciliate stipules; leaves crowded, 1-2 cm. long, the leaflets 3-6 mm. long." (bibref: 1814).
Flower: "Peduncles ascending, 7-15 mm. long; racemes 2-flowered; calyx 3.3-4.2 mm. long, the tube 2.1-2.3 mm., the teeth 1.2-2 mm. long; petals brilliant pink- or magenta-purple to blue- or reddish- violet, rarely white; banner (5.8) 6.6-8 mm. long, 4-5.3 mm. wide; wings (5.7) 6-6.8 mm. long, the claws 1.7-2.1 mm., the blades 4.3-5.1 mm. long, 1.4-2.1 mm. wide; keel 4.1-4.5 mm. long, the claws 1.8-2.2 mm., the blades 2.5-2.9 mm. long, 1.4-1.7 mm. wide; anthers 0.3-0.4 mm. long." (bibref: 1814).
Fruit: "Pod about 4-4.5 mm, long." (bibref: 1814).
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , Red , Pink , Blue , Purple , VioletBloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug
Bloom Notes: "Petals brilliant pink- or magenta-purple to blue- or reddish- violet, rarely white." (bibref: 1814).
Distribution
USA: CO , MT , UT , WYNative Distribution: "Locally plentiful along the east foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming, especially along the Wind and Big Horn Rivers, extending north along the latter stream just into Big Horn County, Montana, and south to Bitter Creek in the Red Desert (west of the Continental Divide); also in scattered stations eastward to the North Platte in Carbon County and to Sand Creek in Albany County." (bibref: 1814).
Native Habitat: "Barren clay bluffs and eroded banks, on sandstone or limestone, 4000-5800 feet." (bibref: 1814).
Bibliography
Bibref 1814 - Atlas of North American Astragalus Volume 2 (1964) Barneby, Rupert C.Search More Titles in Bibliography
Additional resources
USDA: Find Astragalus aretioides in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Astragalus aretioides in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Astragalus aretioides
Metadata
Record Modified: 2020-12-07Research By: Joseph A. Marcus