Astragalus desperatus


Astragalus desperatus is a perennial plant in the legume family found in the Colorado Plateau and Canyonlands region of the southwestern United States.

Description

Growth pattern

It is a low growing perennial plant growing from tall.

Leaves and stems

Compound pinnate leaves are from long, with 7–17 elliptical to inversely lanceolate leaflets.

Inflorescence and fruit

It blooms from March to August. The inflorescence are from stalk to tall, with multiple flowers on short stems from the stalk. Each ink to purple flower has a calyx tube that is bell-shaped and up to long, and petals to long. Seed pods are up to long, elliptical or curved, and covered with stiff hairs.

Habitat and range

It grows only on the Colorado Plateau in mixed desert shrub and pinyon-juniper forest communities.