Stems decumbent to ascend­ing, 10–17 cm. Leaves (1.5–)2–5.5 cm; subsessile; leaflets 9–15(or 17), blades linear-elliptic to elliptic-oblanceolate, 4–16 mm, apex acute to subacute, surfaces usually villosulous, sometimes glabrate adaxially. Peduncles 3–6.5 cm. Racemes densely 11–21-flowered; axis 2–6 cm in fruit. Flowers 10–12.2 mm; calyx 7–8.4 mm, tube 3.8–4.4 mm, lobes 3–4 mm; corolla creamy white. Legumes semi-ellipsoid, bladdery-inflated, 20–25 × 7–9(–11) mm, glabrous; stipe 3–5 mm. Seeds 10–15. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat: Limestone ridge tops and talus.
Elevation: 1300–1700 m.

Distribution

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Wash.

Discussion

Variety olympicus is geographically isolated in the Olympic Mountains in Clallam County and is the most distinctive variety within the Astragalus australis complex in North America, yet its inflated fruits approach those of populations of var. lepagei.

Astragalus australis var. cottonii (M. E. Jones) S. L. Welsh is a superfluous name that pertains here.

Variety olympicus is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.