Oxytropis deflexa var. sericea
Fl. N. Amer. 1: 342. 1838.
Common names: Silky locoweed
Endemic
Synonyms: Oxytropis deflexa subsp. retrorsa (Fernald) Á. Löve & D. Löve O. deflexa var. culminis Jepson O. retrorsa Fernald O. retrorsa var. sericea (Torrey & A. Gray) Fernald
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 11.
Plants caulescent or appearing acaulescent; herbage usually conspicuously long-villous. Racemes usually 10–25-flowered, subcylindric, usually much elongate in fruit. Corollas usually dirty white or variously suffused with purple.
Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Spruce-fir, aspen, willow, alder, and meadow communities.
Elevation: 0–3200 m.
Distribution
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Alta., B.C., Man., N.W.T., Nunavut, Ont., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., N.Mex., N.Dak., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.
Discussion
Variety sericea is the common phase of Oxytropis deflexa south of the Arctic. The variety is highly variable, especially in size and aspect of flowers. Flowers of some of the variants appear not to open, as if they were cleistogamous. The Pan-Arctic Flora (http://panarcticflora.org/) treats var. sericea as O. deflexa subsp. retrorsa.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
None.