Astragalus micranthus Desv., J. Bot. Agric.

Castillón, Eduardo Estrada, Quintanilla, José Ángel Villarreal, Delgado-Salinas, Alfonso & Rebman, Jon P., 2023, The genus Astragalus (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae: Galegeae) in Mexico, Phytotaxa 586 (1), pp. 1921-1935 : 1921-1935

58. Astragalus micranthus Desv., J. Bot. Agric. 3: 78. 1814

Perennial. Stems up to 50 cm long, prostrate, creeping or distally ascending, basally single or branched, with minute and strigose pubescence, the trichomes up to 0.6 mm long, appressed or slighlty ascending. Stipules 2–7 mm long, the lowest ones amplexicual and connate, the upper ones somewhat clasping to free, lanceolate to ovate. Leaves 2–11 cm long, leaflets 17–31, 2–20 mm long, linear, oblong, ovate, elliptic, occasionally truncate or notched apically, the leaflets similar or diminishing in size distally, adaxially glabrate or almost so. Peduncles 2–15 cm long, straight o incurved; the racemes 3–16 cm long, oblong, flowers 25–80, sometimes but rarely as much as 100, deflexed since young. Flowers purple, yellow, sometimes pale yellow, becoming ochroleucous, yellow-greenish or brown where it folds and distally yellowish when drying; the calyx 2.5–5.6 × 1.3–2.8 mm, villous to strigose, trichomes mainly black, the tube 1.4–3.3 mm long, campanulate, basally oblique, the teeth 0.5–2.6 mm long, triangular to subulate; the banner 4.4–7 × 3–6 mm, recurved, spathulate to fan-shaped, slightly retuse; the wings 4.4–7.9 × 1.2–2.1 mm, the claw 1.8–3.5 mm long, the blade 2.6–5.1 mm long, oblong to oblanceolate; the keel 3.7–7 × 1.8–2.4 mm, the claw 1.8–3.6 mm long, the blade 2.4–4.3 mm long, semi-obovate, incurved. Pod deflexed, stipitate, (stipe minute to 0.5 mm long or smaller, and the pod apparently sessile), the body lanceolate, oblong to elliptic, 5.4–13 × 2.2–3.5 mm, straight o strongly curved, triquetrous, basally obtuse, distally ending in a triangular beak, ventrally keeled, dorsally widely sulcate, the valves thin, papery, greenish to ochre, turning brow-black to black with age, commonly with black trichomes, sometimes some white trichomes present, imperceptibly reticulate, septum incomplete; seeds 1.5–1.6 mm long, mitten shaped, brown o with purple tints.

Distribution:— Central región of Mexico, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Hidalgo, Puebla, Morelos, south to isolated localities in Oaxaca. In northern Mexico recorded only in southeastern San Luis Potosí.

Comments:— From the nine species found in this area, only two species, with simple trichomes and triquetrous pods are found, A. micranthus and A. esperanzae , the last one with longer flowers (banner 7.4–9.4; wings 7.6–9.6 mm, keel 5.7–7.7 mm) and longer pods (12–18 mm long).

Two varities recognized, based on petals and pod size, as well as number and size of flowers. Stems and racemes size are quite heterogeneous to use them as identification character.

1. Racemes 1–3.5 cm long in fruit, with 15–30 flowers; calyx 2.5–3.1 mm long, the teeth 0.6–1.1 mm long; banner 4.5–5.2 mm long; pod 5.5–8 mm long; Estado de Mexico, Hidalgo, Puebla and Veracruz .......................................................................... var. seatoni

- Racemes 3–16 cm long in fruit, with 30–60 flowers; calyx 3.8–5.6 mm long, the teeth 1.1–2.6 mm long; banner 4.5–7 mm long; pod 8.5–13 mm long; State of Mexico, Mexico City, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Michoacán, Morelos, Oaxaca; Puebla, San Luis Potosí ......................................................................................................................................................................... var. micranthus

58.1. Astragalus micranthus Desv. var. micranthus

Type :— Not origin given, in hortis colitur, ex Hort. Paris., 1809; habitat in Mexico, (holotype: (holotype: P (not found); isotype P00585116 digital image!, P00585115 digital image!).

Astragalus micranthus Desv., J. Bot. Agric. 3: 78. 1814.

Astragalus hartwegii f. pringlei Gand., Bull. Soc. Bot. France 48: 1902.

Astragalus seatonii M. E. Jones var. crucis M. E. Jones, Rev. N. -Amer. Astragalus 281. 1923.

Astragalus rosei M. E. Jones, Rev. N. -Amer. Astragalus 190. 1923. — Atelophragma rosei Rydb., Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 55: 163. 1928.

Astragalus saltonis M. E. Jones, Rev. N. -Amer. Astragalus 279. 1923. — Hamosa saltonis Rydb., Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 54: 332. 1927.

Main features as in the keys.

Distribution:— Endemic to Mexico, with the general distribution of the species, mostly concentrated in the State of Mexico and adjacent states, with isolated localities in San Luis Potosí and Oaxaca ( Fig. 17 ).

Habitat:— Flat areas; rocky hillsides; wet slopes; roadside; lacustrine areas; paddocks; clayey and marshy soils; slopes; pine forests; pine-oak forest; oak-pine humid forest; grasslands; disturbed areas; fir - oak forest; coniferous forest; alpine grassland; grassland on hillsides; overgrazed grasslands; corn fields; roadside; 1900–3050 m.

Specimens examined:— GUANAJUATO: 18 July 1990, Cañada de Pozos, E. Ventura, E. López 8316 ( ENCB, IBUG, IEB, MEXU) ; 18 July 1989, La Noria, 10 km al E de San Luis de La Paz, E. Ventura 6884, E. T. López ( ENCB, IEB, MEXU) . HIDALGO: 28 June 1975, 3 km al NW de Pachuca , M. Medina 461 ( CIIDIR, ENCB, MEXU) ; 21 June 1905, On Hacienda Palmar, near Pachuca , J. N. Rose 8811, J. N. Paintier ( NY) ; 24 July 1966, Cerro Jaltepec, s. of Hacienda Tetlapayac, 12 km ESE of APAM. N. slopes, C. R. West ( NY) ; 1 September 1963, El Ocote, L. G. Quintero 296 ( NY, US) ; 7 June 1976, Zempoala, A. Ventura A. 1497 ( CAS, ENCB, MEXU, NY) ; 24 July 1980, Presa madero, 12 km km al W de Huichapan, Mpio. Huichapan, R. Hernández M. 4561 ( ENCB, MEXU 6 September 1973, Cerro Alto, 2 km al S de Epazoyucan, Rzedowski 31101 ( ENCB, MEXU) ; 13 July 1898, Valley of Tula , C. G. Pringle 7595 ( MEXU) ; 14 July 1977, 2 km al WSW de Real del Monte, Mpio. Real del Monte , M. Medina C. 2049 ( ENCB) ; MEXICO CITY: 8 August 1965, Claros cercanosss al 4ª Dinamo, Deleg. Contereras, Rzedowski 20396 (CAS, ENCB); 1 August 1975, Valley surrounded by pine on Free Hwy. 95 to Cuernavaca about ½ mi. s. of Parrez, Ellis, Dunn, LeDoux 1094 ( CAS, ENCB, NY) ; 15 August 1914, San Borja , Mixcoac, G. Arsene 10990 ( CAS) ; 16 July 1977, San Francisco Tlanepantla , delegación de Xochimilco, A. Ventura A. 2911 ( CAS, ENCB, MEXU, NY) ; 5 September 1959, La Cima , south of Mexico City, O. Degener 26249 ( NY) ; 14 September 2007, Cienega Grande, E. Martínez 39846 ( MEXU) ; 2 October 1977, Vertiente S del Cerro de la Caldera , delegación de Tláhuac, Rzedowski 35340 ( ENCB, MEXU) ; 25 October 2000, Zona chinampera de San Gregorio Atlapulco. Área Natural Protegida: Ejidos de Xochimilco , A. Ramos L. 646 ( MEXU) ; 3 August 1952, Parte occidental del Pedregal, Rzedowski 1438 ( ENCB) ; 31 July 1965, R. Kral 25248 ( ENCB) ; 13 June 1965, Rzedowski 19916 ( ENCB) ; 14 August 1960, Lava fields ca. 2 km SSW of La Cima R.R. Station , on either side of old highway 95, on top of Serjanade Ajusco, ca. 1 km of the Morelos Border, H. H. Iltis 959, R. Koeppen, F. Iltis ( ENCB) ; 16 August 1964, Estación La Cima, Serranía del Ajusco , Mendoza s.n. ( ENCB) . MICHOACÁN: 28 June 1986, Rancho Santiaguito , al SW de Maravatìo, J. Santos M. 1422 ( CIIDIR) ; 14 July 1986, Cerca de Araró, camino a Andocutin , Mpio. Zinapécuaro, J. Santos M. 1538 ( CIIDIR, ENCB, IBUG, IEB) ; 28 June 1986, Rancho Santiaguito , al Suroeste de Maravatío, J. Santos M. 1422 ( ENCB, IEB, MEXU) . MORELOS: 5 August 1906, Mountains side, Tres Marias, C. G. Pringle 13780 ( CAS) ; 7 September 1989, Rancho “San Lorenzo” Km 53.5 de la carretera federal México-AcaPULCO (95), al SW del poblado Tres Marías, I. Diaz B. 1010, R. Noriega T. ( MEXU) ; 25 August 1991, Andocutín, J. M. Escobedo 2088 ( IEB, MEXU) ; 23 October 1987, 1 km después de la desviación a Cuautla , sobre autopista a Cuernavaca, M. Diaz G. 142, et al. ( ENCB) ; 11 July 1960, 1.5 km N of Tres Cumbres , on old highway 95, H. H. Iltis 95 et al. ( ENCB) . NAYARIT: 27 October 1989, Tepic , 22.3 km al W de Huajimic, brecha a Tepic, P. Tenorio L. 16749, G. Flores ( MEXU) . OAXACA: 29 June 1979, Tierra Azul, a 8 km al NE de Tlaxiaco, distrito de Tlaxiaco , M. Sousa 10634 ( CAS, MEXU, NY) ; 10 August 1985, 4 km al NE de la desviación a Tlaxiaco. Carr. Putla-Tlaxiaco. Distr. de Tlaxiaco , R. Torres Colin 7242, M. L. Torres C., C. Martínez ( NY) . PUEBLA: 26 July 1970, Carretera libre Mèxico-Puebla , k 63.4 a ca. 2 km al E de Rìo Frìo, Mpio. Tlahuapan, R. Weber 511 ( CAS, ENCB) ; 18 August 1944, Puenta del Emperador near La venta, A. J. Sharp 44359 ( MEXU) ; 17 August 1976, Chipilo , o sea a 14 km al W de Puebla, M. Sousa 5739, C. Ramos, O Tellez, L. Rico ( MEXU) ; 26 July 1970, Carrtera libre México-Puebla, km 63.5 a ca. 2 km E de Río Frío, Mpio. Tlahuapan , R. Weber 510 ( ENCB) ; 5 August 1970, Carretera libre México-Puebla, 63.4 a 1.5 km de Rìo frìo, Mpio. Tlahuapan, R. Weber 415 ( ENCB) . QUERÉTARO: 23 September 1994, 6 km NW de La Luz, Mpiop. Querétaro, Hacienda Raspiño, Rzedowski 52476 ( IEB) . SAN LUIS POTOSÍ: 1878, Chiefly in the region, C. C. Parry 168, E. Palmer ( NY) . STATE OF MEXICO: 15 October 1980, 3 km al sur de Temamtla, Mpio. Temamatla, S. Becerra 103 ( CIIDIR, ENCB) ; 7 September 1985, 15 km al SW de Villa Victoria , carr. A El Oro, J. C. Soto N. 10315 ( ANSM, IBUG) ; 3 August 1949, Lago Zempoala, J. Taylor 60 ( NY) ; 28 May 1980, Tres Cumbres, Valle de Mexico, E. Matuda 19088 ( NY) ; 24 June 1965, Huisquilnango, E. Matuda 21076 ( NY) ; 27 August 1965,); 6 km SW of Rio Frio on old highway 190 at km 56, K. E. Roe 1450, E. Roe, S. Mori ( NY) ; 19 August 1910, Ajusco, C. R. Orcutt 3723 ( NY) ; 18 July 1965, 2 km al N de Tecamac , sobre la carretera a Tizayuca, Rzedowski 20228 ( ENCB, NY) ; 3 October 1976, Ladera SE del Gerro del Pino , P. Arreguín 101 ( ANSM, CAS, ENCB, MEXU, NY) ; 20 August 1943, 1 km. south of San Juan, R. T. Clausen 6026, R, Cervantes G. ( ENCB, MEXU, NY) ; 9 July 1950, Llano Grande, E. Matuda 19221 ( MEXU, NY) ; 29 July 1951, La Venta, Sta. Rosa-Contreras, E. Matuda 21270 ( NY) ; VIII-1930, San Andrés, E. Lyonnet 701 ( ENCB, MEXU, NY) ; 15 August 1972, 7 km al E de Cuautlalpan, Mpio. Chalco, Rzedowski 29142 ( CAS, ENCB, MEXU) ; 11 July 1953, Llano Grande, Río Frio , E. Matuda 28714 ( NY) ; 4 July 1975, Estación Experimental de INvestigación y Enseñanza de Zoquiapan. 8 Km. S. de Río Frio. Llano de Aculco , alrededores del edificio, S. D. Koch 75269 ( CAS, ENCB, MEXU) ; 21 September 1969, 1 km al S de San Juan Citlatepec , Mpio. Zumpango, A. C. Mendoza 238 ( CAS, ENCB) ; 23 June 1966, 20 km al NE de Texcoco, Rzedowski 22449 ( CAS, IEB, NY) ; 21 August 1972, Along Hwy 95, south of Mexico City, just south of El Gordo , Dziekanowski, Dunn, Bolingbroke 2010 ( CAS, ENCB, MEXU, NY) ; VIII-1904, Amecameca , C. E. O. Kuntze 23644 ( NY) ; IX-1903, Near Cima, J. N. Rose 7166, J. H. Paintier ( NY) ; 7 September 1985, 15 km al SW de Villa Victoria , carr. A El Oro, J. C. Soto N. 10315 ( IBUG) ; 26 October 1980, 1 km al N de San Juan Citlaltepec, Mpio. Zumpango, A. Moreno M. 213 ( IEB) ; 14 September 1980, Rancho San Luis Aculco, Tenango del Aire , Hinton 17995 ( ENCB, IEB, MEXU, TEX-LL) ; 18 July 1983, Ixtapaluca , Llano Grande, E. Ventura V. 1102 ( IEB, MEXU) ; 1 July 1983, Ixtapaluca , Llano Grande, E. Ventura V. 1039 ( IEB, MEXU, TEX-LL) ; 30 August 2014, A 3.6 km al W de San José del Rincón, D. Álvarez 13770bis ( MEXU) ; 3 October 1976, Ladera SE del Gerro del Pino , F. Arreguín 101 ( MEXU) ; 31 July 1954, Saucingo , Texcoco, E. Matuda 31259 ( MEXU) ; 27 August 1965, 6 km SW of Rio Frio on old highway 190 at km 56, K. Roe 1450 et al. ( ENCB) ; 13 August 1896, Sierra de Las Cruces , C. G. Pringle 6445 ( ENCB, MEXU) ; 5 November 1978, 2 km al SE de Amecameca, Mpio. Amecameca , G. Flores M. PV 7899 ( ENCB) ; 12 September 1993, Colonia EL Molino, Delegaciòn Iztapalapa, calle Fco. Sarabia entre Cda. Mezquite y San marcos, muestra 687), H. Vibrans 4533 ( ENCB) ; 23 June 1963, Cuautitlàn , Rzedowski 16783 ( ENCB) ; 6 August 1967, Cerro El Sacromonte, Mpio. Amecameca , a orilla del camino, R. Bahena R. s.n. ( ENCB) ; 16 September 1973, 10 km al NNE de Otumba, Rzedowski 31161 ( ENCB) ; 16 August 1980, km 7 Otumba-Tizayuca , Axapusco, M. Castilla 671, D. Tejero, s.n. ( ENCB) ; 12 August 1980, Llano Tepochaico, 10 km al S del Llano Grande, Mpio. Ixtapaluca , Rzedowski 36812 ( ENCB) ; 13 August 1972, 5 km al W de Amecameca , J. Espinosa 1050 ( ENCB) ; 20 July 1967, 3 km al E de Coatlinchán, Mpio. Texoco, Rzedowski 24093 ( ENCB) ; 3 October 1976, ladera del Cerro del Pino, Mpio. Ixtapaluca , N. H. Matamoros 24 ( ENCB) ; 25 July 1975, Jaltepec , Mpio. Ajapusco, A. Ventura A. 32 ( ENCB) ; 30 July 1977, Along Hwy 15, 21 miles W of Toluca, cultivated area, Wieder 120 et al. ( ENCB) ; 26 July 1964. Camino sobre Santiago Tilapa y San Miguel Tilapa ,, L. González Q. 1143 ( ENCB) ; 15 September 1966, Cerro del Pino , 3 km al NNW de Ixtapaluca, R. Cruz C. 1243 ( ENCB) .

58.2. Astragalus micranthus Desv. var. seatoni (M. E. Jones) Barneby, Mem. New York 164. 1928

Type:— MEXICO, Veracruz, Mt. Orizaba , 10,000° alt., 6 August 1981, H. E. Seaton (holotype: no lo encuentoro como tale n US, es el isosyntype; isosyntype: US 00001579 digital image!) .

Distribution:— Endemic to Mexico, with a narrower distribution than the previous one, recorded in southern Hidalgo at the northwestern border with Puebla (at the height of Acaxochitlán and Huauchinango), southern end Hidalgo (Tepeapulco, Apan and Almoloya), almost to the border with Tlaxcala, western Puebla on the border with Veracruz and central Oaxaca ( Fig. 17 ).

Habitat:— Ruderal weed; mountainous areas; oak-pine forest, along roads, flooded areas; 2250–2750 m.

Specimens examined:—HIDALGO: 10 August 1981, 6 km al NW de Apan , Mpio.Apan, R. Hernández M. 6308 et al. ( CAS, ENCB) ; 6 April 1981, 2 kms. al sur de Epazoyucan, R. Hernández Magaña 5969, L. Cortés, I. Hernández ( CAS, ENCB, MEXU) ; 16 August 1974, Río Frío , 15 km Río Frío, Estación Forestal Zoquiapan, C. Rodríguez 1266, E. García, J. García ( ENCB) ; 24 June 1981, 4 km a E de Tlaxiaca , Mpio. Tlaxiaca, R. Hernández M. 6140 ( ENCB) ; 20 June 1981, Carretera a Tolcayuca, cerca de entronque a Pachuca, M. Equihua 763 ( IEB) ; 2 August 1963, 2 km al N de Ciudad Sahagún , sobre la carretera a Tlanalapan, Rzedowski 16989 ( IEB) . MEXICO CITY: 25 September 1966, 3 km al SW del Ajusco, R. Cruz C. 1334 ( ENCB) ; 14 August 1960, Alrededores de la Estación La Cima , Serranìa del Ajusco, Rzedowski 12594 ( ENCB) . PUEBLA: VII-1911, Calchicomula, J. N. Rose 5660, Hay ( NY) ; 27 June 1899, Between Tepeaca + Santa Rosa, J. N. Rose s.n., W. Rough ( US) ; 19 July 1947, about three miles east of Rio Frio, C. M. Rowell, G. L. Webster F. A. Barkley 17M370 ( ENCB, MEXU) ; 12 August 1901, Hills above Chalchicomula, C. G. Pringle 8562 ( MEXU) . STATE OF MEXICO: 4 August 1958, Near Kilometer 72 on Amecameca-Popocatepetl road, J. H. Beaman 2118 ( MEXU, US) ; 18 July 1938, Ojos de Aguato Toluca , E. K. Balls 5063 ( US) ; 23 July 1967, Parque Nacional Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, (La Marquesa), Mpio. Lerma, Sánchez León 67 ( ENCB) ; not date, San Pedro Nexapa, M. Villegas D. s.n. ( ENCB) . VERCARUZ: 12 July 1971, Carretera 140, limite Edos. Puebla-Veracruz, L. I. Nevling 1610 ( MEXU, NY) ; 7 July 1970, Totalco, F. Ventura A. 1533 ( ENCB, IEB, MEXU) ; 25 August 1975, 3 km al S de Totalco , Mpio. Totalco, M. Velázquez 2083 ( ENCB) .

Figures

FIGURE 17. Map showing the distribution of Astragalus mario-sousae, A. martinii, A. micranthus var. micranthus, and A. micranthus var. seatoni in Mexico.