Astragalus pectinatus (Narrow-Leaved Milk-Vetch) - photos and description
Looking straight down on inflorescence
General: Plant with many stems from the crown of the plant, the stems decumbent, pubescent, and often reddish at base. Plants have a sour aroma of selenium.
Flowers: Inflorescence is a globose to elongate raceme. Flowers fragrant, white, we measured a flower to 25 mm long.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, pinnate, to 15 leaflets. Leaf highlighted above measured 9 cm long and 10 cm wide. Leaflets linear, we measured a leaflet at 7 cm long and 2 mm wide. Leaves pubescent.
Height: Height listed in Flora of Alberta to 60 cm. We measured plants to 30 cm tall, stems to 33 cm long.
Habitat: Prairie grassland, and dry hillsides
Abundance: Common.
Origin: Native.
When and where photographed: Photos taken June 11th on a prairie pasture, about 125 km west of Regina, SK, and June 2nd on dry prairie, Old Man on His Back Eco Reserve, 450 km southwest of our home in Regina, SK.