Oxytropis mertensiana
Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 13: 68. 1840.
Plants cespitose, appearing acaulescent; caudex subterranean; branches elongate, to 11 cm, covered with persistent stipules. Leaves 1–7 cm; stipules membranous, light tan or grayish, glabrous abaxially; leaflets 1 or 3(or 5), mostly continuous with rachis, decurrent or obscurely articulated with rachis, blades elliptic to oblong, 7–25 × 2–5 mm, apex acute, surfaces glabrous abaxially, sparsely pubescent adaxially. Peduncles 3–8 cm, sparsely villous-pilose; bract linear, 3–6 mm, black-hirsute. Racemes 1- or 2-flowered. Calyces campanulate, densely black-pilose; tube 4.8–6.2 mm, lobes 2.1–4.1 mm. Corollas pink-purple, 12–16 mm. Legumes borne aloft, erect, stipitate, stipe 1.5–2 mm, ovoid- or lanceoloid-oblong, 13–20 × 4–5 mm, subunilocular, pilose, hairs black. 2n = 16.
Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Moist arctic tundra, alpine.
Elevation: 0–1900 m.
Distribution
B.C., Yukon, Alaska, Asia (Russia).
Discussion
Oxytropis mertensiana is easily distinguished by its unifoliolate primary and trifoliolate secondary leaves, in conjunction with the few-flowered, densely black-pilose inflorescences. The British Columbia record may be an introduction.
Selected References
None.