Astragalus onobrychis, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1981, Flora Europaea. Volume 2. Rosaceae to Umbelliferae, Cambridge University Press : 120

94. A. onobrychis L. , Sp. Pl. 760 (1753)

(inch A. skorpilii Velen. , A. sofianus Velen. , A. pancicii Heuffel , A. borysthenicus Klokov , A. circassicus Grossh. ).

Stems 10-60 cm, procumbent and ascending, woody at base. Leaves 3-10 cm; leaflets 8-15 pairs, 4-15 x 1—3(—5) mm, elliptic-lanceolate, acute or subobtuse, appressed-hairy on both surfaces; stipules 1-5-12 mm, connate. Peduncles 1-3 times as long as leaves; racemes ovoid or oblong, with usually more than 10 flowers; bracts 2-4 mm, lanceolate. Calyx 6-8 mm, the teeth £-£ as long as tube, linear to lanceolate. Corolla pale or dark violet, rarely white or yellowish; standard 15-30 mm, the limb linear-oblong. Legume 7-15 mm, ovoidlanceolate to oblong, acute, compressed, densely appressedhairy; beak distinct. Europe, northwards to S. France, Austria and C. Ural. Al Au Bu Cz Ga fG e G r He Hs Hu It Ju Po Rm Rs (C, W, K, E) Tu. Extremely variable throughout almost the whole of its range. A. onobrychioides Bieb. , Tabi. Prov. Casp. 117 (1798) ( A. cephalotes Pallas ) from the Caucasus, is like 94 but has suberect stems 3-8 cm, linear-lanceolate or subulate bracts 7-10 mm, and calyx 9- 12 mm, with the teeth almost as long as tube. It appears to be quite distinct; it has been doubtfully reported from the Lower Don.