Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Astragalus lyallii
Lyall's milk-vetch
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Endemic to Washington from Kittitas and Douglas counties south to Benton, east to Grant and Adams counties.

Habitat: Sagebrush and desert areas, especially on sand dunes.

Flowers: May-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, butterflies

Description:
General:

Silky-grayish perennial from a woody taproot and knotty, branched crown, the several stems 1.5-4 dm. tall, often with flowers from below the middle.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, pinnate, 3-7.5 cm. long; leaflets 11-21, linear to narrowly oblong, 10-15 mm. long; stipules linear-tipped, 3-8 mm. long, the lower clasping, the upper free.

Flowers:

Inflorescence of spike-like, axillary racemes, up to 15 cm. long and loosely 10- to 35-flowered; peduncles shorter than the leaves; flowers spreading to reflexed, 4.5-9 mm. long, white or purplish-tinged or -veined; calyx bell-shaped, 3.5-5.5 mm. long, black-hairy, the 5 teeth linier, longer than the tube; banner narrow, reflexed, 4.5-7.5 mm. long; keel rounded; stamens 10.

Fruits:

Pod subsessile, reflexed, 5-9 mm. long, 2-celled by intrusion of lower suture, cordate in cross section with flat lateral sides.

Accepted Name:
Astragalus lyallii A. Gray
Publication: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 195. 1864. 1864.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

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

WA Flora Checklist: Astragalus lyallii checklist entry

OregonFlora: Astragalus lyallii information

E-Flora BC: Astragalus lyallii atlas page

CalPhotos: Astragalus lyallii photos

67 photographs:
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