Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Astragalus sclerocarpus
stalked-pod milk-vetch, The Dalles milk-vetch, woody-pod milk-vetch
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest chiefly in the Columbia River Basin and Columbia River Gorge in Washington; south-central British Columbia to north-central Oregon.

Habitat: Dunes and sandy barrens, low elevation

Flowers: May-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, butterflies

Description:
General:

Silvery perennial from a branched crown, the several stems 2-5 dm. tall, the base usually buried in the sand.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, pinnate, 3-12 cm. long; leaflets 15-21, linear to oblong-lanceolate, 15-30 mm. long and 2-4 mm. wide; stipules triangular, 2-4 mm. long.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of 10- to 30-flowered racemes, the peduncles about equal to the leaves; flowers spreading-ascending, 10-14 mm. long; calyx 5-7 mm. long, blackish-puberulent, the 5 teeth about 1/4 as long as the tube, the upper 2 the broadest; banner erect, pure white to greenish-white; wings pale purplish, 1 mm. longer than the purple-tipped keel; stamens 10.

Fruits:

Pod stipitate, pendulous, nearly glabrous, fleshy, the body 2-3 cm. long and 7-9 mm. wide, strongly compressed, elliptic in cross section, 1-celled, curving nearly to a half circle and becoming purplish-mottled with age.

Accepted Name:
Astragalus sclerocarpus A. Gray
Publication: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 225. 1864. 1864.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Astragalus sclerocarpus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Astragalus sclerocarpus checklist entry

OregonFlora: Astragalus sclerocarpus information

E-Flora BC: Astragalus sclerocarpus atlas page

CalPhotos: Astragalus sclerocarpus photos

60 photographs:
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