Astragalus leibergii
Plants forming bushy clumps, subacaulescent or shortly caulescent, 15–45 cm, strigulose. Stems erect or ascending, strigulose. Leaves mostly in sub-basal cluster, (5–)8–20(–28) cm; stipules connate-sheathing at proximal nodes, sometimes also at distal nodes, often connate at distal nodes, distalmost sometimes distinct, 3–10 mm, scarious becoming fragile; leaflets (11–)15–27(–31), blades linear to narrowly lanceolate-elliptic or lanceolate-oblong to oblong, 2–25(–38) mm, apex obtuse to acute, surfaces usually strigulose, sometimes glabrescent adaxially. Peduncles erect, 10–33 cm, together with racemes equaling or longer than stems. Racemes (6–)10–28-flowered, flowers nodding; axis 4–17 cm in fruit; bracts 2–4.5 mm; bracteoles 2. Pedicels 0.8–4.5 mm. Flowers (10.8–)11.6–16.4 mm; calyx campanulate, 5.3–8.6 mm, strigulose-pilosulous, tube 3.2–4.9(–5.8) mm, lobes subulate, 1.6–3.8 mm; corolla whitish, immaculate; banner recurved through 90°; keel (8.9–)9.3–12.6 mm. Legumes brownish, straight or slightly incurved, oblong-ellipsoid, 3-sided obcompressed, 16–27 × 4–7.5 mm, sub-bilocular, fleshy becoming stiffly leathery or woody, glabrous or strigulose; valves inflexed, septum 0.4–1.3 mm wide; stipe 3–5(–8) mm. Seeds 23–32. 2n = 22.
Phenology: Flowering mid Apr–Jun.
Habitat: Low hills, plains, in sagebrush scablands on basaltic bedrock, open pine forests on granitic or serpentine soils.
Elevation: 300–900 m.
Distribution
Wash.
Discussion
Astragalus leibergii is restricted to the Columbia River Valley in Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Kittitas counties.
Selected References
None.