ASTRAGALUS ANGUSTIFOLIUS

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

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:-Astragalus angustifolius subsp. euangustifolius,

Astragalus angustifolius var. genuinus, Tragacantha angustifolia.

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

Angustifolius (L) Narrow-leaved.

General description:- Dwarf shrub, forming dense, spiny cushions or mats. 20-40

(-l00) cm across.

Stems:-

1) 5-20 cm, woody at the base.

Leaves:-

1) Rhachis, rigid, produced into a spine.

2) Leaflets, 6-10 pairs, 3-5 mm, narrowly elliptic-oblong, acute, densely covered

with short, appressed, equally bifurcate white hairs on both sides when young,

green and ± glabrescent when mature.

Flowers:-

1) Peduncles, short.

2) Racemes, ovoid, 1-)3-12-flowered.

3) Calyx, 5-9 mm, usually with short, appressed, equally bifurcate, black and white

hairs.

4) Bracts, 4-8 mm, linear-lanceolate.

5) Corolla, white or cream,

a) keel, occasionally purplish at the apex.

b) standard, 17-22 mm.

c) wings, 10-20 mm.

Fruit:-

1) Legume, 10-15 mm, exceeding the calyx, oblong-lanceolate, triquetrous, with

short, dense, appressed hairs.

Key features:-

1) Hairs on the calyx and legume ± appressed.

2) Leaflets, narrowly elliptical to linear.

3) Calyx-teeth, 1/4-1/2 as long as tube.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry, rocky slopes and ridges in open woodland and above the timberline.

(700-)1200-2100 m. mainly on limestone.

Distribution:- Mountains throughout mainland Greece and Peloponnisos. - From

the W Balkan peninsula to E Anatolia, Syria & Lebonon. On Crete occurs in the

Lefka Ori, Kedros, Psiloritis and Dikti massifs.

Flowering time:- Mid-May to mid-July.

Photos by:- Yannis Zacharakis