Astragalus crassicarpus
 
Ground-Plum

Stamens

Oro Lake Regional Park
30-May-2009

Note the calyx and corolla were removed from this flower to expose the stamens.  The stamens are diadelphous, meaning they are divided into two groups.  In this case, nine stamens are connate along their filaments forming a stamen bundle while the tenth stamen is distinct.  The pistil is enclosed within the stamen bundle and is not visible in this photo.

bullet

Crassicarpus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.   Note the answers regarding the plant habit are confusing and contradictory.  Those from Budd's Flora are labeled (BF) and those from Flora of Alberta are labeled (FOA).
bullet

plants large; NOT [plants small] (BF)

bullet

plants taller; NOT [plants low, 10 cm or less] (FOA)

bullet

plants low, cushion-like, matted or straggling; NOT [plants with erect or decumbent stems] (BF)

bullet

plants NOT cushion-like (BF)

bullet

stems spreading (BF)

bullet

stems evident, erect or decumbent, often branched and leafy; NOT [plants densely caespitose or pulvinate; leaves many, crowded; flowers often included among leaves or barely exceeding them] (FOA)

bullet

plants lacking malpighian hairs

bullet

stems generally less than 5 mm thick at base; NOT [stem generally thick, 5-10 mm at base]

bullet

leaves NOT needle-like

bullet

leaves with 17-25 leaflets; NOT [leaves with 7-15 leaflets], NOT [leaves usually with a single leaflet, occasionally with 3 or 5 leaflets]

bullet

leaflets shorter; NOT [leaflets 2-4 (6) cm long]

bullet

leaflets NOT spine-tipped

bullet

NOT [flowers spreading or reflexed in a spike-like raceme 4-15 cm long, much exceeding the leaves; pods reflexed, with 2 deep grooves on upper side]

bullet

flowers borne on more or less well developed peduncles; NOT [flowers borne in the crown of the plant]

bullet

flowers in a loose raceme; NOT [flowers in dense globose heads]

bullet

flowers 12-30 mm long; NOT [flowers 5-12 mm long]

bullet

flowers yellowish, with or without purplish tips; NOT [flowers purple or blue, occasionally whitish], NOT [flowers white] (BF)

bullet

petals blue, purple or pink or predominantly so (sometimes very pale with only flashes of deeper colour); NOT [petals mostly yellow, cream or orange, the keel sometimes tinged with blue or blue-tipped] (FOA)

bullet

pods 2-3 cm long; NOT [pods about 1 cm long]

bullet

pods plum-like

bullet

pods indehiscent

bullet

pods glabrous; NOT [pods densely pubescent]

 

bullet

Astragalus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
bullet

herbs; NOT [shrubs]

bullet

plants NOT climbing

bullet

leafy stems often present; NOT [leafy stems usually absent]

bullet

leaves pinnate; NOT [leaves palmate]

bullet

the terminal leaflet normal; NOT [the terminal leaflet replaced by a tendril]

bullet

leaflets more than 3; NOT [leaflets 3 (rarely 1)]

bullet

leaves NOT glandular-dotted

bullet

NOT [inflorescence umbel-like; flowers yellow; leaflets 5, pinnately arranged (the lower pair basal and resembling stipules)]

bullet

NOT [flowers pinkish to red or purple; calyx-lobes subulate, much longer than the tube; fruit only slightly longer than wide, with short, stout spines, 1-seeded]

bullet

keel NOT truncate; NOT [keel mostly truncate]

bullet

keel rounded or obtuse at the tip; NOT [keel with a sharp point at the tip]

bullet

pods NOT segmented or jointed; NOT [pods segmented or jointed, breaking up at maturity]

 

bullet

Leguminosae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 
bullet

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

bullet

plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

bullet

plants NOT with colored milky juice

bullet

plants with more than one normal leaf

bullet

some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]

bullet

leaves with stipules; NOT [leaves without stipules, or having glands]

bullet

flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others

bullet

calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]

bullet

flowers irregular in shape; NOT [flowers regular in shape]

bullet

corolla pea-like; NOT [corolla with one petal spurred or sac-like]

bullet

stamens usually separate or partly so, not in a column; NOT [stamens numerous, united into a column]

bullet

fruit a legume; NOT [fruit a 3-valved capsule]