Astragalus L.
Genus composed of 2,450 species, with SW Asia as its centre of diversity. Mostly they are herbaceous species or small chamaephytes, often creeping. Recently some species have been assigned to genus Astracantha for their small pods, sessile and shorter than the very hairy calyx. Astragalus is represented in North Africa by about 80 species, 14 species endemic to Morocco. Only 2 quite similar species can be considered subshrubs, Astragalus armatus and A. spinosus, with woody branches and stems, spiny, 20-60 cm in height. Other species, with or without spines, many herbaceous and perennial with a woody base, do not usually exceed 30-50 cm in height, although some have erect herbaceous stems that can exceed 1 m. We have selected the more woody species and larger in size.
Greuter, W., Burdet, H.M. & Long, G., 1989. Med-Checklist, Inventaire critique des plantes vasculaires des pays circumméditerranéens. Vol. IV: Astracantha: 15-32; Astragalus: 32-69.
Podlech, D & Zarre, Sh. 2013. A Taxonomic Revision of the Genus Astragalus L. (Leguminosae) in the Old World. 3 Vols. Vienna Natural History Museum.
Raynaud, C., 1975. Eléments pour une Flore pratique du Maroc (Légumineuses). Fasc. 3 : tribu des Galégées. E.N.F.I. Salé, 54 pp.
Key to species
1 Subshrubs spiny 2
1 Subshrubs without spines, or perennial herbaceous plants with a woody base 6
2 Calyx inflated at pod maturity and enclosing the pod; corolla white, white-pinkish or blue papery 3
2 Calyx not inflated or enclosed at pod maturity; pod exserted at maturitylonger than 5 cm; corolla white or yellow 4
3 Branches and mature calyces subglabrous or slightly pubescent. Western Mediterranean (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) Astragalus armatus
3 Branches and mature calyces villous. Eastern Mediterranean (from NE Libya to Iraq) Astragalus spinosus
4 Herbaceous plant with a woody base, only slightly spiny; leaves 10-18 cm, with more than 15 pairs of leaflets Astragalus dactylocarpus
4 Chamaephyte, cushion-shaped, very spiny. Leaves 4-6 cm, with less than 10 pairs of leaflets 5
5 Flowers yellow. Mountain plant Astragalus ibrahimianus
5 Flowers white. Plant from coastal cliffs Astragalus tragacantha
6 Calyx inflated when in fruit; pod included Astragalus kahiricus
6 Calyx uninflated when in fruit; pod exserted 7
7 Pod more than 3 cm wide Astragalus macrocarpus
7 Pod less than 2 cm wide 8
8 Leaves with 1-4 pairs of leaflets Astragalus camelorum
8 Leaves with more than 10 pairs of leaflets 9
9 Leaves 5-10 cm, with 10-15 pairs of leaflets, with creeping herbaceous stems Astragalus sparsus
9 Leaves 10-30 cm, with 15-30 pairs of leaflets 10
10 Pods 4-7 cm long, woody, with a long beak c. 1 cm, spiny;pale yellow corolla Astragalus fruticosus
10 Pods 2-5.5 cm, not woody, reticulate, with beak 0.5-0.7 cm, intense yellow corolla Astragalus gombo
Updated by: H. Sainz & J. Charco.