ASTRAGALUS EPIGLOTTIS

Family and Genus:- See- LEGUMINOSAE/Subgen. EPIGLOTTIS

Common Name:-

Homotypic Synonyms:- Biserrula epiglottis, Glottis epiglottis,

Tragacantha epiglottis

Meaning:- Astragalus (Gr) Ankle-bone,(a plant with knotted roots).

Epiglottis (L) Literally "(that which is) upon the tongue.

General description:- Annual, with unequally bifurcate or simple, straight,

subappressed white hairs.

Stems:-

1) 5-25(-50) cm, ascending.

Leaves:-

1) Imparipinnate.

2) Leaflets, 5-10 pairs. hairy on both surfaces. narrowly elliptical.

Flowers:-

1) Racemes, axillary, dense, capitate,with 6-14 subsessile flowers.

2) Calyx, 2-2.5 mm. triangular-campanulate.

3) Corolla, cream or suffused pale purplish-blue.

4) Standard, 3-4 mm.

5) Fertile stamens. 5.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 7-9 mm., triangular-ovate, dorsiventrally flattened and broadly cordate at

the base, laterally compressed near the apex, densely hairy.

2) Seeds, few.

Key features:-

1) Legume, riangular-ovoid, not much longer than wide, smooth.

2) Standard, 3-4 mm.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry sandy places with grassland or open woodland, fallow fields & waste

ground, often near the sea, 0-400 m,on various substrates.

Distribution:- Greece, Mediterranean region from Spain and Morocco to W

Anatolia,Cyprus and Palestine. Rare on Crete currently known only from the island

of Gavdos.

Flowering time:- In April.

Photos by:- Ori Fragman_Sapir