Astragalus gilviflorus

Oxytropis campestris

Late Yellow Locoweed

Flower Dissected

Nature Area Five Miles East of McLean
17-July-2004

The calyx, standard, and wings have been removed in this picture. Note the size of the keel. Note also the sharp point at the tip of the keel. Finally, note that nine of the ten stamens are joined at the filament (they are monadelphous) and the tenth stamen is separate.

Note that the key to the genera in Flora of Alberta requires that the flowers NOT be yellow. This of course is not true for this species. It does this in an attempt to exclude Lotus. The most common Lotus on the Canadian prairies, L. corniculatus, has deep yellow flowers arranged in an umbel-like inflorescence.

Campestris: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.

plants acaulescent; stems NOT with one or more evident nodes

stipules adnate to the petioles for half their length; NOT adnate to the base of the petiole only

leaves with 17-33 leaflets; NOT 11-19 leaflets

leaflets all paired or scattered on the rachis; NOT [leaflets whorled on the rachis or appearing so; few leaflets in pairs]

leaflets not fascicled, opposite or subopposite; NOT [mostly fascicled, appearing whorled]

flowers yellowish, ochroleucous, or whitish; NOT purplish, NOT blue

keel of the corolla 11-14.5 mm long; NOT 15-20 mm long

pods erect or spreading; NOT pendulous

pods NOT rigid at maturity

pods chartaceous; NOT coriaceous

Oxytropis: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.

herbs; NOT shrubs

plants NOT climbing

leafy stems usually absent

leaves pinnately divided; NOT palmately divided

leaflets more than 3

terminal leaflet normal; NOT replaced by a tendril

leaflets NOT [5, pinnately arranged (the lower pair basal and resembling stipules)]

leaves NOT glandular-dotted

inflorescence NOT umbel-like

calyx-lobes NOT [subulate, much longer than the tube]

flowers NOT [pinkish to red or purple]

flowers NOT yellow (FOA, see note above)

keel with a sharp point at the tip; NOT rounded at tip, NOT obtuse at the tip

keel NOT truncate

fruit a legume; NOT a loment

pod NOT segmented, NOT jointed

fruit NOT [only slightly longer than wide, with short stout spines, 1-seeded]

Leguminosae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.

herbs; NOT shrubs, NOT trees

plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT aquatic

plants NOT with colored milky juice

plants with more than one normal leaf

some or all leaves alternate; NOT [opposite, whorled, or basal]

leaves with stipules

flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others

calyx regular

flowers irregular in shape

corolla pea-like; NOT [with one petal spurred or sac-like]

stamens usually separate or partly so; NOT in a column

fruit a legume; NOT a 3-valved capsule