Astragalus robbinsii var. minor (Oakes) A. Gray (Hook.) Barneby
Robbins' milk-vetch
Fabaceae (Pea family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Jamie Fenneman     (Photo ID #17141)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Astragalus robbinsii var. minor
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Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a taproot and branching stem-base; stems usually ascending to erect but decumbent-based, sometimes prostrate on harsh sites, 20-70 cm tall/long, with short, stiff, appressed, unbranched hairs or nearly glabrous.
Leaves:
Alternate, pinnately compound, 5-12 cm long; leaflets 7 to 19, narrowly egg-shaped to oblong, rounded or notched at the tip, 1-3 cm long, glabrous above, paler and short-hairy on the lower surface; stipules egg-shaped, 4-7 mm long, the lower ones joined and clasping the stem.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a loose, axillary raceme of 6 to 25 or more pea-like flowers mostly on one side of the axis, the raceme-stalks 9-23 cm long, longer than the leaves; corollas whitish or yellowish to pale purple, fading bluish, 6-11 mm long, the banner much longer than the wings, which are longer than the keel; calyces bell-shaped, 4-7 mm long, short-black-hairy, the lance-linear teeth 1/4-1/2 the length of the tube.
Fruits:
Pods, narrowly ellipsoid, spreading to drooping, short-stalked, membranous, black-hairy, 1.5-2.5 cm long, compressed, 1-chambered but with a thin partial partition.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Habitat and Range

Moist to mesic meadows, streambanks, gravel bars, rocky slopes and forest openings in the steppe and montane zones, rarely to the alpine zone; frequent in BC S of 52degreeN and east of the Coast-Cascade Mountains; N to AK, YT and NT, E to SW AB and S to CO, NV and N WA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Astragalus blakei Eggl.
Astragalus collieri (Rydb.) A.E. Porsild
Astragalus macounii Rydb.
Astragalus robbinsii var. blakei (Eggl.) Barneby
Astragalus robbinsii var. occidentalis S. Watson