Herbs caulescent, to 100 cm, mostly glandular throughout, silvery-sericeous. Stems ± erect, branched distally, branches subtended by leaves, leaves dis­persed along stems, more so distally; pseudoscapes to 10 cm (when present); cataphylls 9–20 mm, glabrous or pubescent apically. Leaves palmately 3–6-foliolate; stipules tardily deciduous proximally, persistent distally, linear, 8–18 × 2–4 mm, rarely glandular, glabrous; petiole not swollen or jointed basally, slightly canaliculate, 2–55 mm, strigose; petiolules 1–4 mm; leaflet blades oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic or orbiculate, 1.1–4.5 × 0.6–2.2 cm, base attenuate, apex acute, acuminate to apiculate, surfaces abaxially sparsely to densely sericeous, rarely eglandular, adaxially glabrous or less sericeous. Peduncles 3–9 cm, longer than subtending petiole, densely white-strigose. Inflorescences persistent, oblong, elongate; rachis 0–6 cm, exposed, nodes (1 or)2–4(–8), (1–)3 flowers per node, internodes 3–7(–17) mm; bracts persistent, linear to lanceolate or elliptic, 3–9 × 1.5–4 mm, sericeous. Pedicels 0.5–1 mm. Flowers 7–11 mm; calyx elongating and becoming broadly and shallowly campanulate in fruit but not gibbous, 6–8 mm abaxially, 4–6 mm adaxially, glandular (glands often hidden by hairs), sericeous (sometimes sparsely so); tube 2–3 mm; lobes linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, abaxial 4.5–5 × 2–2.5 mm, adaxial 1.5 × 1 mm; corolla deep blue, banner oblanceo­late to obovate or orbiculate, 6–7.5 × 3.5–5 mm with claw 1.5–2 mm, wings 6–7 × 1.5–2.5 mm with claw 2–2.5 mm, keel 5–6 × 1.5–2 mm with claw 2–3 mm; filaments 4.5–5 mm; anthers elliptic, 0.4 mm; ovary glabrous proximally, canescent on distal 2/3, style canescent basally. Legumes narrowly oblong, 5–6 × 3–4.5 mm, obscurely glandular, tomentose, beak 3–5 mm, equal to or slightly longer than calyx. Seed red-brown, round-reniform, 4–5 × 3–4 mm, dull. 2n = 22.

Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Grasslands.
Elevation: 200–1500 m.

Distribution

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Alta., Man., Sask., Colo., Ill., Iowa, Kans., Minn., Mo., Mont., Nebr., N.Y., N.Dak., Okla., S.Dak., Tex., Wis., Wyo.

Discussion

Pediomelum argophyllum is unique in the genus in its gray, silvery pubescence, earning it the common name silverleaf Indian breadroot. It has one of the widest distributions of its congeners, ranging from Canada to Texas, but seems more prevalent in the northern states. It has been used by native cultures for food or medicine for at least 2500 years (D. F. Dexter et al. 2014).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.