Oxytropis DC.

39. Oxytropis DC. View in CoL 1

Perennial, acaulescent or caulescent herbs. Leaves imparipinnate (in European spp.); stipules adnate to petiole, free or connate. Flowers in axillary racemes. Calyx tubular, with subequal teeth; corolla violet, purple, white or pale yellow; keel with a tooth at apex on abaxial side; stamens diadelphous. Legume oblong to ovoid, dehiscent, stipitate or sessile, unilocular, semi-bilocular or almost completely bilocular. Seeds several.

Literature: W. Gutermann & H. Merxmiiller, Mitt. Bot. Staatssamm. (München) 4: 199-275 (1961). P. Leins & H. Merxmiiller, op. cit. 6: 19—31 (1966).

1 Leaflets 1-2 pairs 9. mertensiana 1 Leaflets more than 2 pairs 2 Legume unilocular, on a carpophore at least 4 as long as calyxtube, usually not splitting the calyx 3 Caulescent 4 Stipules connate for at least half their length; legume pendent 1. lapponica 4 Stipules ± free from each other 5 Legume pendent; corolla whitish 2. deflexa 5 Legume ±erect; corolla purplish-violet 3. jacquinii 3 Acaulescent 6 Carpophore equalling or longer than calyx-tube 7 Scape with short, appressed hairs; legume 20-25 x 8 mm, with hairs 0-2-0-25 mm long 4. carpatica

7 Scape with long, ±patent hairs; legume 15-20x 5-7 mm,

with hairs c. 1 mm long 7. pyrenaica 6 Carpophore c. i as long as calyx-tube 8 Corolla pale blue to pale purple

9 Scape 0-6 mm in diameter; leaflets mostly 10-12 pairs,

lanceolate; legume narrowly oblong 5. gaudinii

9 Scape c. 1 mm in diameter; leaflets mostly 13-20 pairs,

elliptic-lanceolate; legume shortly ovoid 6. amethystea 8 Corolla deep purplish-violet

10 Scape stout, with patent hairs, usually with more than

7 flowers 7. pyrenaica

10 Scape slender, with appressed hairs, with 3-5 flowers

8. triflora 2 Legume at least semi-bilocular, with a septum developing inwards from the ventral suture, ± sessile and usually ± splitting the calyx 11 Legume with both ventral and dorsal septum, almost completely bilocular 12 Both septa ± equally wide, or the dorsal somewhat narrower; inflorescence elongating after flowering

18. halleri 12 Dorsal septum wider than ventral; inflorescence not elongating 19. uralensis 11 Legume with only a ventral septum, semi-bilocular 13 Whole plant, including legume, viscid, covered with sessile,

aromatic glands 24. fetida 13 Plant eglandular, or with a few glands only on margins of stipules or at the base of the bracts 14 Caulescent; calyx-teeth equalling or longer than tube

15 Corolla purple

16 Inflorescence oblong, many-flowered; standard

8-10 mm; stipules ovate, more or less connate with each other 23. floribunda

16 Inflorescence capitate, few-flowered; standard c.

14 mm; stipules lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, free

22. purpurea

15 Corolla light yellow; stipules narrowly triangular, free

17 Standard 12-14 mm; legume 15-20 mm 20. pilosa

17 Standard 16-18 mm; legume 20-30 mm 21. pallasii 14 Acaulescent; calyx-teeth distinctly shorter than tube

18 Limb of standard obtusely 2-lobed; limb of wings orbicular 17. ambigua

18 Limb of standard subentire to emarginate; limb of wings oblong or obovate

19 Leaflets 17-25 pairs; raceme 5-10 cm

20 Corolla pale yellowish; bracts c. 5 mm 10. hippolyti

20 Corolla purplish; bracts 7-12 mm 16. songorica

19 Leaflets mostly less than 17 pairs; racemes usually less than 5 cm

21 Stipules adnate to petiole for at least J of their length

22 Stipules many-veined; leaflets 10-15 pairs; tooth of keel l-l-5(-2)m m 11. campestris

22 Stipules 1-veined; leaflets 6-8 pairs; tooth of keel

c. 0-5 mm 12. prenja

21 Stipules adnate to petiole for not more than | of their length

23 Tooth of keel 1 mm; legume oblong-ovoid, with short, appressed hairs 15. spicata

23 Tooth of keel c. 0-5 mm; legume with patent hairs

c. 3 mm long

24 Corolla light yellow, becoming reddish near apex;

legume ovoid 13. urumovii

24 Corolla lilac; legume narrowly ellipsoid

14. foucaudii (A) Legume unilocular, w ithout septa.