Astragalus malacus A. Gray

Hamosa malaca (A. Gray) Rydb. Fl. Rocky Mts. 496, 1063. 1917.
Astragalus malacus A. Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. 7: 336. 1868. Tragacanlha malaca Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 946. 1891. Astragalus obfalcatus A. Nelson, Bot. Gaz. 54: 411. 1912. Astragalus malacus obfalcatus M. E. Jones, Rev. Astrag. 227. 1923.
A cespitose perennial; stems stout, decumbent at the base, 1-3 dm. high, hirsute; leaves 5-20 cm. long, ascending or spreading; stipules thin, deltoid, acuminate, 1-1.5 mm. long, partly adnate to the petiole; leaflets 15-21, elliptic to obovate, 1-2 cm. long, 5-10 mm. wide, hirsute on both sides, rounded at the apex; peduncles stout, 5-10 cm. long; racemes manyflowered, 5"-7 cm. long; bracts subulate, 5-8 mm. long; pedicels short; calyx hirsute-pilose, purple-tinged, the tube 7 mm. long, 2.5 mm. broad, the teeth subulate, 2-4 mm. long; corolla rose-purple, sometimes darkly so, about 2 cm. long; banner narrowly obovate, abruptly arched; wings shorter, the blade obliquely oblong, with a large basal auricle; keel-petals still shorter, the blade broadly lunate; pod 2.5-3.5 cm. long, 5-7 mm. wide and 3 mm. thick, sulcate on the ventral suture, densely long-pilose, narrowly cordate in cross-section.
Type locality: Near Carson City. Nevada.
Distribution: Oregon, western Idaho. Nevada, and California.

Perennial, Herbs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Stems hairs pilose or spreading, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules membranous or chartaceous, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals red, Petals blue, lavander to purple, or violet, Petals bicolored or wit h red, purple or yellow streaks or spots, Banner petal narrow or oblanceolate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel petals auriculate, spurred, or gibbous, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Style persistent in fruit, Fruit a legume, Fruit stipitate, Fruit tardily or weakly dehiscent, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit strongly curved, falcate, bent, or lunate, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit beaked, Fruit hairy, Fruit 11-many seeded, Seeds cordiform, mit-shaped, notched at one end, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.

Astragalus malacus is a species of milkvetch known by the common name shaggy milkvetch. It is native to the Great Basin in the western United States.