Astragalus gobi-altaicus N. Ulzyikh., Byull. Moskovsk. Obshch. Isp. Prir., Otd. Biol., n. s., 95 (2): 83 (1990).

Fig. 3

Diagnosis.

Astragalus gobi-altaicus was first described in East Gobi, Mongolia (Ulziykhutag 1990). Later, this species was treated as a synonym of A. laguroides by Xu and Podlech (2010). However, based on our extensive morphological studies, A. gobi-altaicus can be distinguished from A. laguroides by its inflorescence being oblong-cylindrical (vs. globose or ovate), leaflets that are broadly elliptical or oblong-obovate, more rarely sub-oval (vs. leaflets oblong, narrowly elliptical, or lanceolate), calyx teeth 4–6 mm long (vs. calyx teeth 3–4) (Table 2). In addition, the phylogenetic tree supported that A. gobi-altaicus was different from A. laguroides, which was more similar to A. oyunicus and A. lupulinus (Fig. 1).

Type.

Mongolia. Umnugovi province, Noyon soum, Noyon-Bogd mountain, 08 September 1979, V. I. Grubov, A. Muldaschev & Sh. Darijmaa 1964 [Holotype LE 01016096! (Fig. 6 F)] • Umnugovi province, Nomgon soum, Khurkh mountain, 42°43'16.6"N, 105°06'17.4"E, 1425 m, 28 June 1980, I. A. Gubanov 5941 [Paratype MW 0593122!] • Umnugovi province, Khurmen soum, Bayan-Undur, 42°33'18.1"N, 103°54'38.1"E, 1413 m, 06 August 1981, I. A. Gubanov 3376 [Paratype MW 0593121!, MW 0593120!] .

Description.

Plants perennial 8–12 cm tall, acaulescent, with merely white, in vegetative parts distinctly warty hairs. Stipules whitish, 3-4 mm, triangular, nearly free from the petiole, not connate behind the stem, appressed hairy, at the margins with basifixed hairs. Leaves (– 3) 8–14 cm; petiole 1–4 cm, like the rachis slender, loosely to rather densely covered with medifixed, appressed hairs 0.5-1 mm. Leaflets in 2-4 pairs, in the basal leaves often in 1–2 pairs only, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic to elliptic, 7-18 × 5–10 mm, mucronate, on both sides densely covered with medifixed, appressed hairs 1.5-2 (- 3) mm. Peduncles 3-6 cm, slightly angular-sulcate, loosely to rather densely covered with medifixed, appressed hairs, partly glabrescent with age. Raceme oblong to oblong-cylindrical 3-8 cm long, densely many-flowered. Bracts whitish, 3-5 mm, narrowly linear, covered with mostly basifixed hairs. Calyx 11-14 mm, tubular at beginning of anthesis, soon ovoid-inflated, rather densely covered with subbasifixed to basifixed, rigid, spreading, straight white hairs 2-3 mm; teeth filiform, 4-5 mm. Standard (– 9) 14-18 (– 20) mm; blade c. 5 mm wide, elliptic, narrowly triangular toward the slightly emarginate tip, slightly constricted below the middle, at the base obtusely angularly passing into the claw. Wings 12–15 mm; blades narrowly oblong, obtuse, c. 5.5 × 1.5 mm; auricle 1 mm, claw 8 mm. Keel 10–12 mm; blades obliquely obovate 3.5 × 2 mm; claw c. 8 mm. Ovary sessile. Pods enclosed in the calyx, sessile, oblong, 7-8 × 3-4 mm long, with a hooked beak c. 2-2.5 mm, unilocular; covered with tangled, spreading only white hairs.

Distribution.

Endemic to Mongolia. This species is currently known from the South Gobi in Mongolia (Fig. 9).

Habitat.

This species grows in debris desert steppe, mountain slopes, sandy desert steppes, sayr slopes and granite slopes of hillocky areas.

Additional specimens examined.

Mongolia, Gobi Altai region: • Umnugovi province, Tsogt-Tsetsii soum, Tsetsii mountain, 43°30'48.38"N, 105°41'18.85"E, 1727 m, 28 May 1962 (UBA) • Umnugovi province, Nomgon soum, Baruun tsohiotiin Khudag, 42°41'14.1"N, 105°13'8.5"E, 1463 m, 17 May 1962 (UBA) • Umnugovi province, Bulgan soum, Dundsaikhan mountain, Khaalgiin sair, 43°44'16.53"N, 103°34'10.88"E, 2229 m, 25 June 1962 (UBA) • Umnugovi province, 20 km southeast from Khurmen soum, 43°5'55.7"N, 104°11'39.4"E, 1631 m, 06 July 1973, Ts. Jamsran (UBU 0026387) • Umnugovi province, Bayandalai soum, northern part of Zuramtai mountain, 1715 m, 05 September 1976, Ch. Sanchir (UBA) • Bayankhongor province, Shinejinst soum, Jinst mountain, 44°26'28.4"N, 99°13'36"E, 2000 m, 14 July 1979, I. A. Gubanov (MW 0593124, MW 0593125) • Umnugovi province, Noyon soum, Noyon Bogd mountain, 43°12'17.35"N, 101°50'39.68"E, 2200 m, 08 September 1979, V. I. Grubov & Sh. Dariimaa (UBA) • Umnugovi province, Sewrei soum, Zuulun mountain, 43°38'49.19"N, 102°20'57.46"E, 1900 m, 26 August 1982, I. A. Gubanov (MW 0593123) • Umnugovi province, Dalanzadgad soum, Khachig mountain, 42°59'35.53"N, 105°40'35.27"E, 1800 m, 01 September 1982, I. A. Gubanov (MW 0183265) • Umnugovi province, Khankhongor soum, Chanaijn Kharaa mountain, 44°22'48"N, 104°16'48"E, 1242 m, 22 June 1988, H. D. Knapp (GFW 45639) • Umnugovi province, Bayandalai soum, Ikh Argalant mountain, 43°10'32.24"N, 103°35'24.93"E, 1910 m, 16 June 2007, Ts. Jamsran (UBU 0030804) • Umnugovi province, Bayan-Ovoo soum, 42°56'57.5"N, 106°9'13.3"E, 1170 m, 08 June 2013, Ch. Sanchir (UBU 0032442) • Alashan Gobi region: • Umnugovi province, Alashaa Gobi, Khalzan mountain, 42°10'18.32"N, 105°15'43.97"E, 1363 m, 31 July 1989, I. A. Gubanov (MW 0183261) • Umnugovi province, Nomgon soum, Borzon govi, 42°33'35.14"N, 105°9'58.8"E, 1208 m, 2003, Ariuntuya (UBU 0012226) .