Herbs perennial, caulescent; root-crown or caudex superficial or subterranean. Hairs basifixed. Stems few to several. Stipules connate at proximal nodes, distinct at distal nodes. Leaves odd-pinnate, subsessile or petiolate; leaflets (5 or)7–17. Racemes loosely or compactly flowered, flowers nodding. Calyx tubes campanulate. Corollas purple, pale pink, whitish, pink-purple, or blue-purple, banner recurved through 40°, wing apex rounded, keel apex usually round, rarely deltate. Legumes eventually deciduous, sessile or stipitate, spreading, reflexed, or pendulous, ellipsoid to ovoid-ellipsoid, laterally compressed or obtusely 3-sided, subunilocular, sub-bilocular, or semibilocular. Seeds 4–10.

Distribution

North America, Europe, Asia.

Discussion

Species ca. 47 (2 in the flora).

Section Oroboidei occurs in northern and arctic Eurasia, montane central Asia, the Caucasus, and with two species in North America.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Astragalus eucosmus, Astragalus robbinsii