| Fabaceae |
|---|
Astragalus brachycalyx FISCHER |
 Astragalus brachycalyx FISCHER |
Astragalus L. |
| A. brachycalyx Fischer in sched. (1843) & Syn. Trag. 350 (1853). Figure 1, p. 91. Lax shrub, sometimes umbraciform. Leaf rachis spiny, 3-5 cm, recurved. Leaflets 3-10 mm, elliptic, muticous, sparsely adpressed or spreading simple-pubescent, 4-6-paired; stipules c. 6 mm, lanceolate, velutinous below, united for two thirds their length. Flowers sessile, 2-3 per leaf axil. Inflorescence globose, 10-20-flowered. Bracts 2-4 mm, broadly ovate, white-hairy on the dorsal surface. Calyx c. 4 mm, tomentose; tube c. 3 mm; teeth narrowly triangular. Corolla white; standard 7-9 mm, platonychioid. Fl. 7-8. Rocky places, 1800-3100 m. Type: [N. Iraq] in rupibus subalpinis montis Gara Kurdistaniae, 1841, Kotschy 363 (holo. LE iso. BM! E! OXF!). E. Anatolia. B8 Bitlis: Meleto Da., 1800-3100 m, Hand.-Mazz. 2930; Siirt: Halkis Da. above Sason, 1600 m, Cheese & Watson 3459! C9 Siirt/Mardin: Hala-kor Da. N of Gezerit ibn Omar (Cizre), 1700-1900 m, Nábélek 3067; Hakkari: Cilo Da., above Diz De., 2300 m, D. 23955! N. Iraq, N.W. [ran. Ir.-Tur. element. A much confused species requiring further study. The above description applies to var. muticus Širj. (Feddes Rep. 47:197, 1939), as well as to the type variety. Širjaev records both varieties from Turkey. Var. umbraciformis Boiss. (Fl. Or. 2:317, 1872) is synonymous with A. adscendens Boiss., a closely related species from Iran. A record of the former from C9 Hakkari: Cilo Da., 1900 m, Nábélek 3083, may be referable to A. adscendens or to A. brachycalyx. Sect. Platonychium Bunge (incl. Sect. Microthrix Širj. p.p.). Spiny shrubs. Leaves paripinnate; rachis spiny; leaflets simple-hairy; stipules united below, free from the petioles. Flowers sessile, 2-3 per leaf axil, forming a several- to many-flowered inflorescence, ebracteolate or bracteoles minute. Calyx white simple-hairy, lobed to the base. Standard platonychioid. Legume included within the persistent corolla, unilocular, l(-2)-seeded. 1. Leaflets glabrescent; calyx hairy to the base 2. Stems glabrous towards base of plant, sometimes hairy above 125. gummifer 2. Stems tomentose throughout its length 126. tournefortii 1. Leaflets hairy; calyx with glabrous base |