Astragalus pectinatus

Narrow-Leaved Milk-Vetch

Leaflet Bottom Close-Up

Harris Reservoir, 6 Miles South of Maple Creek
14-June-2008

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Pectinatus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 
bulletplants taller; NOT [plants low, 10 cm or less]
bulletplants with erect or decumbent stems; NOT [plants low, cushion-like, matted or straggling] (BF)
bulletstems evident, erect or decumbent, often branched and leafy; NOT [plants densely caespitose or pulvinate, leaves many and crowded] (FOA)
bulletstems generally thick, 5-10 mm at base; NOT [stems generally less than 5 mm thick  at base]
bulletleaves NOT needle-like
bulletleaflets narrow, linear; NOT [leaflets broad, ovate-oblong to elliptic]
bulletleaflets 2-6 cm long; NOT [leaflets shorter]
bulletflowers mostly 20-25 mm long; NOT [flowers shorter, mostly 10-15 mm long]
bulletflowers white, yellow, or greenish; NOT [flowers at least partly reddish, purplish, or bluish]

 

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Astragalus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this genus. 
bulletherbs; NOT [shrubs]
bulletplants NOT climbing
bulletleafy stems often present; NOT [leafy stems usually absent]
bulletthe terminal leaflet normal; NOT [the terminal leaflet replaced by a tendril]
bulletleaflets more than 3; NOT [leaflets 3 (rarely 1)]
bulletleaves pinnate; NOT [leaves palmate]
bulletleaves NOT glandular-dotted
bulletkeel not truncate; NOT [keel mostly truncate]
bulletkeel rounded or obtuse at the tip; NOT [keel with a sharp point at the tip]
bulletpods NOT segmented or jointed; NOT [pods segmented or jointed, breaking up at maturity]
bulletNOT [flowers pinkish to red or purple; calyx-lobes subulate, much longer than the tube; fruit only slightly longer than wide, with short, stout spines, 1-seeded]
bulletNOT [inflorescence umbel-like; flowers yellow; leaflets 5, pinnately arranged (the lower pair basal and resembling stipules)]

 

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Leguminosae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.
bulletherbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]
bulletplants terrestrial or semi-aquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]
bulletplants NOT with colored milky juice
bulletplants with more than one normal leaf
bulletsome or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]
bulletleaves with stipules; NOT [leaves without stipules, or having glands]
bulletflowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others]
bulletcalyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]
bulletflowers irregular in shape; NOT [flowers regular in shape]
bulletcorolla pea-like; NOT [corolla with one petal spurred or sac-like]
bulletstamens usually separate or partly so, not in a column; NOT [stamens numerous, united into a column]
bulletfruit a legume; NOT [fruit a 3-valved capsule]