Biology:Astragalus flavus

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Short description: Species of legume


Astragalus flavus
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Astragalus
Species:
A. flavus
Binomial name
Astragalus flavus
Torr. & A.Gray

Astragalus flavus (yellow milkvetch) is a perennial plant in the legume family (Fabaceae) found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the southwestern United States.[1]:97

Growth pattern

It is an erect or curving perennial from 2 to 12 inches (5.1 to 30.5 cm) tall.[1]:97 The plant is covered with star-shaped hairs.[1]:97

Patches of the plants in bloom may cover large areas of the ground in yellow from the flowers.[1]:97[2]

Stems and leaves

1 to 6 inches (2.5 to 15.2 cm) leaves are compound pinnate, with linear to egg shaped 14 to 6 inches (0.64 to 15.24 cm) leaflets.[1]:97

Inflorescence and fruit

The inflorescence is born on a stalk with 6-30 flowers having a hairy calyx tube and yellow bell-shaped corolla 14 to 12 inch (0.64 to 1.27 cm) long.[1]:97 "Flavus" means "yellow", even though most of its flowers are white.[3] It blooms from May to June.[1]:97[2]

Habitat and range

It grows in saline soil (halophyte) in salt desert shrub between about 3,800 to 5,400 feet (1,200 to 1,600 m) in elevation.[1]:97

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Canyon Country Wildflowers, Damian Fagan, 2nd ed., 2012, Morris Bush Publishing, LLC. in cooperation with Canyonlands Natural History Association, ISBN:978-0-7627-7013-7
  2. 2.0 2.1 "USDA Plants Database". https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ASFL. 
  3. "Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, Astragalus flavus and pattersonii". https://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/White%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/astragalus%20flavus%20and%20pattersonii.htm. 

Wikidata ☰ Q3627603 entry