Astragalus russellii
Astragalus russelii
Ballan
Lax, much branched low shrub; stems up to 15 cm. Leaves up to 2 cm, with a spiny rachis, arising in clusters in axils of old leaves which persist as spines up to 5 cm; leaflets 4-10 mm, elliptic or obovate, acute, often mucronate, both surfaces sparsely simple-pilose, 4-6-paired; stipules 2-3 mm, triangular, membranous, united. Flowers usually solitary in leaf axils, borne on 5-15 mm pedicels. Bracts 3-4 mm, broadly ovate, membranous. Bracteoles 1-2 mm, lanceolate, membranous. Calyx 10-17 mm, tubular at first, becoming globose-inflated, papery, sparsely simple-sericeous; teeth 1-2 mm, densely simple-sericeous. Corolla white, often drying yellow or violet; standard 20-25 mm. Legumes shortly stipitate, white-pubescent. Fl. 3-5. Hills, 400-1400 m.
Syrian Desert. Ir.-Tur. element.
