About Astragalus bolanderi A.Gray
Astragalus bolanderi A.Gray is a perennial herb that grows erect, drooping, or creeping stems reaching up to 40 centimeters in length. Most of the stem is bare, bearing only a sparse covering of long, wavy hairs and a small number of leaves along its upper sections. Its leaves grow up to 16 centimeters long, and are composed of very widely spaced leaflets that range in shape from oval to nearly lance-shaped, with each individual leaflet reaching up to 2 centimeters long. Each leaflet has a hard midrib that ends in a sharp point at the tip. This species blooms from June through September, and is most commonly encountered between July and August, most often at elevations between 6,000 and 8,000 feet. Its inflorescence is a dense cluster holding 7 to 18 pealike flowers. Each flower measures between 1 and 2 centimeters long, and is white with a purple tint. The fruit is an inflated, curved legume pod up to 3 centimeters long, which dries to a thick papery texture.
