Herbs perennial, caulescent; caudex superficial. Hairs usually basifixed, rarely malpighian (in some varieties of A. kentrophyta). Stems several to many. Stipules connate or distinct at distal nodes. Leaves odd-pinnate, sessile or subsessile to petiolate; leaflets (3–)5–21, jointed or decurrent. Racemes sometimes paired, loosely or remotely flowered, flowers ascending, spreading, or declined. Calyx tubes usually campanulate, sometimes turbinate-campanulate. Corollas pink-purple, whitish, or ochroleucous, banner recurved through 40–90°, keel apex obtuse. Legumes eventually deciduous or persistent, sessile or stipitate, deflexed, declined, or pendulous, linear, oblong, ellipsoid, lenticular, or ovoid- or obovoid-subglobose, compressed laterally or bladdery-inflated, unilocular. Seeds 2–9(–11).

Distribution

w North America.

Discussion

Species 5 (5 in the flora).

Section Ervoidei consists of three subsections, widely distributed from Yukon southward to California, New Mexico, Hudson Bay, Minnesota, and Nebraska.

The subsections are: subsect. Ervoidei (Torrey & A. Gray) Barneby (Astragalus bourgovii, A. multiflorus, A. vexilliflexus); subsect. Microcystei (A. Gray) Barneby (A. microcystis); and subsect. Submonospermi (A. Gray) Barneby (A. kentrophyta).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Astragalus bourgovii, Astragalus kentrophyta, Astragalus microcystis, Astragalus multiflorus, Astragalus vexilliflexus