Astragalus fastidius (Kellogg) M. E. Jones, Contr. W. Bot.

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

25. Astragalus fastidius (Kellogg) M. E. Jones, Contr. W. Bot. 8: 7. 1898

Type :— MEXICO, Baja California, based on Phaca fastidia , according to Barneby (1964), there is no type specimen preserved, the holotypus is probably the Kellogg drawing.

Phaca fastidia Kellogg Hesperian 4: 145. 1860.— Astragalus fastidiosus Greene, Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci. 1: 186. 1885.

Astragalus leucopsis (Torr. & A. Gray) Torr. var. fastidius (Kellogg) M. E. Jones, Contrib. W. Bot. 10: 62. 1902.

Perennial. Stems up to 50 cm long, tussock, sprawling, erect, canescent or green-strigose; the trichomes up to 0.6 mm long, appressed to sub-appressed mixed with straight, sickle shaped and longer ones. Stipules 2–9 mm long, semiclasping, somewhat decurrent, not connate, triangular. Leaves 2–15 cm long, leaflets 17–35, 3–20 mm long, oblong, elliptic to obovate, distally entire to retuse, concolour or bicolored, glabrate o slightly pubescent adaxially. Peduncles s 3–17.5 cm long, straight to curved, ascending; the racemes 1.5–9 cm long, lax, flowers 7–18, ascending when young, pendulous with age. Flowers purple, lavender, magenta-purple, violet the tip of wings and the center of the banner paler; pink-purple, greenish-yellow, yellow, green-white, light-green 1, cream-white or cream but turning yellowish when drying, sometimes the banner with white stripes down median line; calyx 5.5–8.2 × 2.4–4 mm, with black and white mixed trichomes, the tube 4.2–5.2 mm long, the teeth 1.5–3.8 mm long, lanceolate to subulate; the banner 13–16 × 6–8.3 mm, oblanceolate to narrow rhombic, retuse; the wings 12.3–16.2 × 1.8–2.3 mm, the claw 5.1–6.4 mm, the blade 8–8.9 mm long, linear to elliptic, oblique, retuse distally; the keel 10–11.2 × 2.3–2.8 mm, the claw 5–6.5 mm long, the blade 4.8–5.7 mm long, oblique, incurved, triangular-obovate. Pod elevated from the receptacle (in a strigose articulated, the joint easily seen at base of the pod, 3–9 mm long, straight to curved gynophore), 2–4.3 x 0.9–1.5 cm, spreading or pendulous, inflated, bladder-shape, somewhat cylindrical to semi-ovoid, externally sulcate, the sutures linear, ventrally straight or concave or less convex than the dorsal one, oblique-fusiform to lunate, basally rounded, apically ending in a flat straight or curved 4–8 mm long beak, the valves thin, papery, diaphanous or nearly so, minute strigose, pale ochre, bronze, red-violet, cream to purple, somewhat lustrous, reticulated, septum absent; ovules 20–27; seeds 1.7–2.7 mm long, brown, smooth.

Distribution:— Endemic to the Peninsula of Baja California; restricted to coastal dunes, and adjacent areas along the west coast of Baja California, between 32°18’– 27°50’N, from San Quintín to the south, through El Socorro, El Rosario, Punta Baja, Punta Blanca, Punta Cono, Santa Rosalillita, Laguna Manuela, and in the extreme north of Baja California Sur, near Guerrero Negro, also on Cedros Island ( Fig. 7 ).

Habitat:— Summit of ridge; flat immediately above beach; compacted sand; granite boulders, near salt marshes; silty flats; dry and sandy washes; shallow sandy arroyos, along aroyos; rocky slopes; coastal dunes; Vizcaino desert; rocky flats behind beachrdige; juniper scrubland; coastal blufs with prickle pear and maguey; coastal hills; creeks with salt bush; moist arroyo floor; disturbed soils; 30– 400 m.

Comments:— The pods from A. trichopodus var. lonchus and A. fastidius are somewhat similar in shape, however they are easy to distinguish from each other since A. trichopodus has a true stipe that is continous with the pod. Astragalus fastidius is quite similar to A. oxyphysus , however, A. oxyphysus has racemes with a greater number of flowers (20–67), and white or cream emmaculate flowers, the calyx longer than 8.7 mm, the keel longer than 13 mm, and a lower number of ovules (10–18). Another species similar in appearance to A. fastidius is A. oxyphysopsis , since both have stipitate pods, however they can be differentiated because the pod of A. oxyphysopsis has a true stipe and the boy is glabrous, inflated, resembling a bladder, but strongly compressed laterally two-sided with its faces inflated only in the area where seeds are located. Although allopatric, morphologically A. fastidius is somewhat similar, at least in the form of growth, pubescence and foliage color to A. sanctorum (restricted in distribution to Ensenada and adjacent areas), both species have inflated bladder-like pods, however, the pods of A. sanctorum are sessile or scantily raised from the receptacle by a tiny protuberance, less than 0.5 mm long.

Specimens examined:— BAJA CALIFORNIA 5 March 1994, Rosalillita along the road to San Jose Las Palomas; in sandy flats at junction with the road to Rancho San Andrés, J. Rebman 2305 ( BCMEX, MEXU) ; 10 October 1966, 20.3 miles (by road) south of San Quintin turnoff, coastal palin, J. R. Hastings 66–97, R. M. Turner ( CAS, SD) ; 10 February1935, behind barrier beach 28 mi. SW of Punta Prieta , A. L. Haines, Wm. Stewart s.n. ( CAS, NY) ; 27 June 1988, 12 km north of Guerrero Negro, along Route 1, 10 miles north of La Pinta Hotel , T. S. Elias 10867, D. Arias, O. Dorado ( MEXU, NY) ; 2 January 1988, Desierto El Viscaino. 3 miles north of Guerrero Negro junction, M. A. Franklin 5762 ( NY) ; 7 March 1934, At the ocean— 15 miles south of mouth of Escondido Canyon on Miller’s Landing road, R. S. Ferris 8599 ( CAS, NY, SD) ; 30 March 1985, Santa Catarina Landing at the mouth of Arroyo Sta. Catarina, A. C. Sanders 5581, E. Rodriguez, J. West et al ( CAS, NY) ; 27 February1986, 20–30 miles S of Punta Canoas along tract to Punta Cono, D. E. Breedlove 62510 ( NY, CAS, MEXU, TEX-LL) ; 28 February1985, Along road from El Rosario to Punta Baja, D. E. Breedlove 62219 ( CAS, MEXU, NY, TEX-LL) ; 27 February 1985, 37 km S of San Quintin , D. E. Breedlove 62191 ( CAS, NY) ; 16 March 1984, 38 km S of San Quintin , D. E. Breedlove 60731 ( CAS, MEXU, NY) ; 24 May 2001, Santa Rosalillita , R. Spellenberg 13229, N. Zucker ( MEXU, NY) ; 11 February1977, V. L. Yadon s.n. ( NY) ; 13 March 1986, 7 mi. N of El Rosario , D. W. Stevenson, 632, K. Endress, D. Rusell, R. Schmid ( NY, TEX-LL) ; 8 February1977, One at roadside 7 km SE of Miller’s Landing, R. Moran 23924 ( MEXU, NY, SD) ; 16 April 1931, Bench above beach below Punta Prieta, 185 miles south of Rosario , I. L. Wiggins 5385 ( CAS, MEXU, NY, TEX-LL) ; 10 February1962, About 9 miles south of Puerto San Jose , I. L. Wiggins, J. H. Thomas 199 ( CAS, NY, US); 18 October 1966, along Pacific Coast., J. R. Hastings, R. M. Turner 66-156 ( CAS, NY, SD) ; 27 February1986, 20–30 miles S of Punta Canoas along tract to Punta Cono, D. E. Breedlove 62499 ( CAS, ENCB, MEXU, NY) ; 26 February1986, near Punta Cono, D. E. Breedlove 62478 ( CAS, ENCB, MEXU, NY, TEX-LL) ; 10 February1935, Wash 18 mi. W. of Punta Prieta, C. Epling, W. Robison s.n. ( NY) ; 15 October 1977, dry wash 10 miles northwest of El Rosario , D. E. Breedlove 43026 ( CAS, ENCB, MEXU) ; 25 March 1960, Sandy area with many large dunes 15.5 mi. N. of La Espina, D. M. Porter 550 ( CAS, MEXU) ; 20 October 1959, Between La Espina and salt works at Laguna de Guerrero Negro, J. H. Thomas 8246 ( CAS, ENCB, MEXU) ; 1 January 1976, around El Socorro, south of San Quintin , in sand dunes and salt flats, D. Johnson 69 ( CAS) ; 27 September 1941, B. J. Hammerly 79 ( CAS, NY) ; 2 January 1934, north side of Colnett wash at ocean, R. S. Ferris 8516 ( CAS, MEXU) ; 23 February1963, Socorro , sand dunes, R. Moran 10204 ( CAS, ENCB, SD) ; 23 April 1946, Rosario , R. Moran 2019 ( CAS) ; 19 February1962, Valley floor, about 5 miles inland from Miller’s Landing , I. L. Wiggins 16750 ( CAS, MEXU) ; 10 March 1930, Santa Catarina Landing, I. L. Wiggins 4429 ( CAS, MEXU) ; 23 February1938, Coastal terrace along beach 24 mi. S. of Punta Prieta , I. L. Wiggins 7740A ( CAS) ; 11 May 1941, near Socorro , near seashore, F. P. Cronemiller 3022 ( CAS) ; 9 March 1993, Just north of Punta Canoas , broad wash back of beach, D. E. Breedlove 72822, C. Burns ( CAS) ; 24 February1991, Near Punta Baja, Coastal bluff, D. E. Breedlove 71589 ( CAS) ; 6 June 1925, Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico, Cedros Island . Summit of ridge, H. L. Mason 2033 ( CAS; 18/ 20 March 1889, Cedros Island , E. Palmer 683 ( US); 5 June 1925, Cedros Island , O. Solis 41 ( US); 8 March 2002, Villa Jesus Maria, on Mex 1, north of Guerrero Negro, A. L. Reina G. 2002-102, T. R. Van Devender, M. A. Dimmitt, J. F. Wiens, C. Martin ( USON) ; 14 March 2010, Ensenada, About 6.5 mi (air) south of Vale Tranquilo , about 25 mi south-southeast of San Quintin , west of Hwy 1, M. Fishbein 6400, R. Levin, J. Miller ( MEXU, USON) ; 31 March 1970, At mouth of large arroyo 5.0 miles northwest of Punta Blanca , R. Moran 17140 ( SD) ; 29 March 1970, in bed of Arroyo Cataviña near the mouth., R. Moran 17051 ( SD) ; 19 April 1975, South side of Punta Baja near the tip, R. Moran 21770 ( CAS, NY, SD) ; 18 April 1960, Baja California, Silty flat south of Playa Maria Bay , R. Moran 8196 ( CAS, NY, SD, US); 25 March 1974, c. 25 mi S of Rosarito, G. L. Webster 19649 ( SD, MEXU) ; 27 March 1970, Occasional, Puerto Santa Catarina, R. Moran 16996 ( SD, ENCB) ; 18 April 1997, South of Santa Catarina: near coast S of Punta Canoas and Puerto Mujeres; near mouth of Rio Lazaro , J. P. Rebman 4017, J. Merzbacher, T. Deméré ( SD) ; 8 December 2012, Half a kilometer north of M1 within arroyo, J. Riley 6, J. Montiel ( SD) ; 23 March 2012, Valle Tranquilo vicinity, north of El Rosario and south of San Quintin, east of Hwy. 1 and just south of Arroyo Hondo ; along canyon called Arroyo Ribes on Terra Peninusular property, J. Rebman 22955, S. Vanderplank, J. Riley ( SD) ; 11 October 1987, Wash on the floor of a side canyon off the canyon of the Rio del Rosario , 0.8 mile above the beach at the river’s mouth, A. C. Sanders 7410 ( CAS, SD) ; 16 January 2012, Pacific Coast: site of Costa Rica, between El Rosario and San Quintin, c. 2 km south of El Socorro and c. 1 km east of the coast, T. B. Salvato 5518, J. Rebman, S. Vanderplank, J. Riley (cas, SD) ; 16 April 2010, Lagunita El Rincón , M. Salazar 5449, E. López, S. Alfaro ( CAS, SD) ; 6 February 2015, Santa Rosalillita . At the entrance to the town on soft sand dunes, S. Vanderplank 5250, T. Burgess ( CAS, SD) ; 2 April 2015, Cedros Island. Saline flats on S side of Lower Vargas canyon (moist flats), S. Vanderplank 5671, J. Rebman, S. Junak ( CAS, SD) ; 29 March 2016, Mesa Nueva York, 9 km inland from San Quintín , J. Riley 438, S. Alfaro ( CAS, SD) ; 2 March 2016, 2.5 km inland from carretera, Arroyo Hondo, J. Riley 422, S. Alfaro ( CAS, SD) ; 14 February 2014, Desierto Vizcaino, carretera Transpeninsular 1, J. L. León de la Cruz 12008 ( SD 2 May 1992, 20 mi S of San Quintin on dirt road E of Mexican Highway 1, J.S. Miller, M. Merello, A. Pool 7375 ( MEXU) ; 28 April 1987, Ensenada, 10 Km al NW de Rosario, carr. a Ensenada, P. Tenorio L. 13144 ( MEXU) ; 22 March 1960, Salty , rocky sand W of broad estero on road which crosses salt flats, 47.5 mi. S. of San Ignacio D. M. Porter 521 ( MEXU) ; 31 March 1988, R. F. N end of island N of fishermen’s village at lower end of Canada de la Mina, Throrne 63145 ( MEXU) ; 29 March 1987, c. 5 NW of Punta Blanco , G. L. Webster 26051 ( MEXU) ; III June 1897, Cedros Island, Mex. On the Islands off the coast of and on the Adjacent Mainland, A. W. Anthony 314 ( MEXU) ; 11 April 1952, H. S: Gentry 11692, W. B. Fox ( MEXU) ; 22 April 1962, 1.5–2.5 miles upstream from Rincon, 4–5 miles northeast of Santa Catarina, 64 miles southeast of Ensenada , R. E Broder 712 ( MEXU) ; 25 November 1981, M. Mendoza L. s.n. ( ENCB) ; 4 January 1987, Ensenada, Isla Cedros ; aprox. 1 km al SE de la bomba, H. Cota, 7429, A. Salgado ( ENCB, MEXU) ; 20 March 1984, 10 km E of Santa Rosalillita , D. E. Breedlove 60815 ( CAS, NY) ; 2 March 1964, Calipatria , Isla de Cedros, B.C., X. Madrigal S. n.n ( MEXU) ; 20 February1986, Isla Cedros : Canada de la Mina, below old copper mine, R. F. Thone 61561 ( MEXU) ; 1 June 1073, About 10 mi. NW of Santa Rosalia, R. S. Spellenberg 3326 et al. ( ENCB, NY) ; 19 January 1975, Cedros Island , on NE end of Island, in canyon about 1 mile S of lighthouseand village at Cabo Norte, Henrickson 14440 ( ENCB) ; Cedros Island, R. Moran 10682 ( NY, SD 27 May 1971, Cedros Island ; 2.0 miles from north end, R. Moran 18427 ( SD, ENCB) ; 13 April 1983, Canon de la Mina; Cedros Island , T. Oberbauer, H. Wier, E. Wier, s.n. ( SD) ; 23 February1977, Cedros Island ; 2.0 miles south of the lighthouse on the east side, C. Davidson 5517 ( ENCB, SD) ; 8 March 1939, Cedros Island; arroyo of Grand Canyon 3.5 miles from east coast, A. L. Haines, G. Hale, s.n. ( SD) ; 30 March 1978, Cedros Island ; Cañon Grande, R. Moran 25423 ( SD) ; 6 June 1925, Revillagigedo Islands , Mexico, Cedros Island. Summit of ridge, H. L. Mason 2033 ( NY) . BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR. 18 December 1989, Viscaino Desert, ca 9 km north of Guerrero Negro at Mexico Hwy 1 km post 121, just inland from Laguna Guerrero Negro , sand dune beside highway, F. M. Roberts 4539, D. A. Roberts ( SD) ; 24 December 1973, Old Cabin , approx. 30 miles NW of Guerrero Negro, Y. Petryszyn 13a ( ENCB) .

Figures

FIGURE 7. Map showing the distribution of Astragalus ervoides var. ervoides, A. ervoides var. maysilesii, A. esperanzae, A. fastidius, and A. filipes in Mexico.