Hedysarum
Sp. Pl. 2: 745. 1753.
Herbs, perennial, unarmed; with ligneous taproot. Stems decumbent to erect or ascending, solid, terete, pubescent, hairs basifixed; from branching subterranean to superficial caudex. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate; stipules present, slightly adnate to petiole base, ± connate-sheathing, often suffused with purple, lanceolate, simple or bidentate, scarious; petiolate, petiole much shorter than or subequal to blade; leaflets 5–27, opposite or alternate, petiolulate, blade margins entire, surfaces mostly pubescent, sometimes glabrous adaxially. Inflorescences 5–60-flowered, axillary, racemes, sometimes subcapitate; bracts present, 1 per flower; bracteoles usually 2. Flowers papilionaceous; calyx campanulate, lobes 5; corolla usually pink, pink-purple, lavender-pink, red-purple, lilac, lilac-purple, or yellow, rarely white, keel much exceeding wings, somewhat longer than banner, broadly truncate, apex prominent, oblique; stamens 10, diadelphous; anthers dorsifixed; ovary enclosed in staminal sheath; style glabrous. Fruits loments, stipitate, pendulous to spreading, compressed, straight, narrowly ellipsoid, indehiscent (breaking transversely), constricted into 1–8, 1-seeded segments, glabrous or pubescent, rarely with processes. Seeds 1 per segment, brown, flattened, reniform-ovoid, glossy. x = 7.
Distribution
North America, Europe, Asia (Asia Minor).
Discussion
Species ca. 50 (4 in the flora).
Selected References
None.
Key
| 1 | Leaflet blade veins obscure; loment margins moderately or not winged; calyx lobes subequal to markedly unequal in size; wing auricles distinct, blunt, shorter than claw. | Hedysarum boreale |
| 1 | Leaflet blade veins conspicuous; loment margins narrowly or conspicuously winged; calyx lobes equal or nearly so; wing auricles connate, linear, nearly equal or equal to claw. | > 2 |
| 2 | Flowers 10–19(–22) mm (when greater than 16 mm, then from north of 50th parallel), corollas usually lilac- to pink-purple, rarely white; loment segments 5.5–12 × 3.5–6 mm, margins narrowly winged; leaflet blades lanceolate to oblong, elliptic, or lanceolate-elliptic. | Hedysarum alpinum |
| 2 | Flowers (14–)16–25 mm, corollas usually yellow to pale yellow, or shades of pink or purple, rarely white; loment segments 7–14.5(–18) × 5.5–10.2(–11) mm, margins conspicuously winged; leaflet blades lanceolate to ovate, elliptic, oblong, or lanceolate-oblong. | > 3 |
| 3 | Corollas yellow to pale yellow, 14–20 mm; loment segments 5.5–9 mm wide, glabrous. | Hedysarum sulphurescens |
| 3 | Corollas usually lavender-pink or lilac- to pink-purple, rarely white, 16–25 mm; loment segments 5.6–10.2(–11) mm wide, pubescent or glabrous. | Hedysarum occidentale |