Diario de jhorthos

Other Astragalus that can be confused with in square brackets (Washington State range only)

Astragalus caricinus - [lyallii, spaldingii] Small to medium sized semi-erect plant with small tan to off-white flowers and average width leaflets. Silky hairy all over especially raceme and calyx, high axillary floral racemes, medium small with smallish light tan to off-white flowers. Calyx silky hairy with long narrow teeth. Small silky hairy seed pod (but nowhere near purshii). Often in sandy soil. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/212263702. Distinguished from lyallii: difficult, leaflets slightly narrower, flowers often more tan and with less purple, range mostly further southeast.

Astragalus collinus - Not yet observed. Tall, semi-sprawling, tall erect yellow flowered spike. Found in Okanogan (north central) and southeast corner of state. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/215849553

Astragalus columbianum - Not yet observed (rare). Seems to look a lot like a white A. succumbens with much narrower leaflets.

Astragalus conjunctus - Not yet observed. Tall, erect, white to violet flowers, narrow leaflets. From Hanford south, mostly in Oregon and Idaho.

Astragalus filipes - [sclerocarpus] Large shrubby, off-white to pale yellow aging to golden-tan flowers (often closed-looking). Narrow leaflets with short white hairs lying flat. Green calyx with dark hairs and short teeth. Often very floriferous with tall straight stems nearly vertical, but emerging from leaf axils.. Drooping nearly straight seed pods, green with red edges. Common in Oregon, probably less so in Washington but widespread. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/211953031. Distinguished from sclerocarpus: hairless pods, no violet on flower, not found on sand.

Astragalus inflexus - Purple flowered sprawling plant, compact raceme. Very long narrow calyx teeth, very wide leaflets, wooly to silky all over, curved erect seed pod. Mostly in SE Washington but present on Columbia Plateau as well, mostly right on the river. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/211978029

Astragalus leibergii - Medium sized, white flowers with large banner, stout straight upright flower stems. Calyx with short black to dark green hairs and moderately elongated teeth. Average to somewhat narrow leaflets. Seed pods erect, red to green with red speckles (later tan/brown), prominent longitudinal fold, fine extension at tip. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213569452

Astragalus lentiginosus - Sprawling purple to pale flowered, at northern edge of range in WA but widespread on Columbia Plateau. Small compact racemes, leaflets wide with short silky hairs, green to rusty red calyx with short white or dark hairs and short to medium length pointed teeth. Flower looks rather closed (flag close to wings). Seed pod inflated and green to yellow with red lines or speckles. Pods: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/169180855. Flowers: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/162002302

Astragalus lyallii - [caricinus, spaldingii] Small sprawling plant on sandy soil, average width to wider leaflets, small off-white flowers with vertical purple stripes on banner sometimes with overall purple flush, short rounded wings, calyx with long narrow teeth, congested to loose raceme, silky white hairs all over, densest on raceme and calyx. Raceme axillary forming high on branched leaf-bearing stems. Seed pod with dense silky hairs. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/213575999. Distinguished from spaldingii: location (partly), calyx teeth longer than flower tube.

Astragalus misellus - Not yet observed. Creamy white to pale yellow flowers.

Astragalus purshii - Abundant, small sprawling plant, purple to pale purple flowers usually sprawling on few-flowered racemes, extremely densely wooly/silky seed pods held to side. Easy to ID in flower or in seed.

Astragalus reventiformis - Not yet observed, generally similar to A. leibergii but wider leaflets (about average). Endemic mostly to area between Yakima and Ellensburg in hills. Comment from Aaron Liston at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/211241784

Astragalus reventus - Not yet observed, endemic to Blue Mountains.

Astragalus sclerocarpus - [filipes] Sprawling to semi-upright lanky plant with off-white flowers usually with pink to violet blush on wings and keel (usually darker especially tip), fading to yellowish. Narrow leaflets with fine white hairs lying flat. Green to pale calyx with dark hairs and short teeth. Drooping curved to nearly straight seed pod with very short hairs. On sand or very sandy soil. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/212285319 Seed pods: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165801163. Distinguished from filipes: fine white hair on seed pods, usually some violet on flower, usually found on sandy soil. Seed pods mature to curved.

Astragalus spaldingii - [lyallii] Not yet observed, small plant raceme elongated to congested and short, white flowers. Raceme densely long wooly, leaves and stems with abundant silky to wiry hairs. Calyx wooly/silky with very long teeth. Mostly in Channeled Scablands and southeast corner of WA. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/215154432 (not mine)

Astragalus speirocarpus - Tightly curled seed pods. Usually medium-low shrubby looking with unusually wide leaflets and appressed white hairs. Calyx with black hairs and shortish teeth. Creamy white to pale yellow flowers usually with prominent purple markings on keel and base of wings. Wings seem to be more flared (angled laterally) than most Astragalus. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/156340066

Astragalus succumbens - Often sprawling on sand with upright racemes. Wide leaflets with bristly looking edges. Flowers pink, white, or pale violet held above leaves in congested raceme, often appearing almost spherical. Calyx with stout hairs and long teeth. Seed pods erect with prominent furrow and shiny green, turning reddish brown. Common in sandy soils on southern Columbia Plateau. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/208400719

Astragalus tweedyi - Not yet observed. Tall shrubby, white flowers. Erect green seed pod usually with red freckles. Almost all in eastern Columbia Transect and adjacent northern Oregon.

Astragalus whitneyi - Low sprawling plant, purple or white flowers in few-flowered compact raceme, fairly wide leaflets, on rocky to very rocky soil. Calyx moderately white hairy with medium sized pointed teeth and often dull red. Leaflets medium wide, somewhat wooly or with appressed white hairs. Seed pod very distinctive, inflated with red markings. Usually in lower eastside mountains in WA, rocky soil. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/127124906 Seed pod: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/127128415

For east of Cascade Crest in Washington State only, excepting species in the southeast corner near Pullman (several have a range that just reaches there).

Key when IN FLOWER. Many Lomatiums appear quite different after flowering, often more erect and with leaves appearing sparser or dying. In many species the leaves are expanding during early flowering so keep that in mind. A few can be readily identified based only on fruit, not covered here.

Flowers dark red/purple/brown:
---- small on serpentine - Lomatium cuspidatum
---- large shrubby - Lomatim dissectum or Lomatium multifidum (flowers sometimes yellow, usually with purple flush)

Flowers pink to dark rosy pink:
---- large shrubby - Lomatium columbianum

Flowers white and green:
---- low growing with large umbels - Lomatium macrocarpum (occasionally yellow)

Flowers white:
---- tiny (1-2 inches tall):
-------- thick folded leaflets on very rocky soil - Lomatium lithosolamans (rare)
-------- less thick leaflets, nearly flat:
------------ Lomatium gormanii or Lomatium piperi

---- small (2-4 inches tall):
-------- leaflets flat, leaf nearly flat and parallel to ground, often glaucous - Lomatium canbyi

---- medium sized:
-------- Lomatium geyeri

Flowers dark yellow:
---- terete leaves on talus - Lomatium tuberosum (rare)

Flowers yellow:
---- very small (1-3 inches tall):
-------- narrow folded leaflets - Lomatium farinosum

---- small (2-5 inches tall):
-------- dense short hairs on leaflets - Lomatium watsonii (sometimes glabrous)
-------- leaves highly dissected, leaflets very narrow - Lomatium quintuplex
-------- Lomatium knokei (very rare)

---- medium sized:
-------- very narrow leaflets (often threadlike) - Lomatium simplex
-------- narrow to medium width leaflets:
------------ Lomatium triternatum (common) or L. ambiguum
--------- very wide leaflets - Lomatium nudicaule

---- large and shrubby:
-------- small SHINY leaflets with sharp tip - Cymopteris terebinthus (often on sand)

-------- matte leaflets - everything else :-)
-------- Lomatium dissectum often has somewhat glossy leaflets