Species: Oxytropis besseyi var. besseyi (Rydb.) Blank.

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Oxytropis besseyi var. besseyi (Rydb.) Blank.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Oxytropis

Species Synonyms:

Aragallus besseyi Rydb.
Oxytropis nana var. besseyi (Rydb.) Isely

Common Names:

Bessey’s locoweed

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southwestern – south-central Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern – south-central Saskatchewan

Ecoregion:

Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

eroded, short-grassland and semi-bare slopes

Associaterd species:

Astragalus vexilliflexus var. vexilliflexus, Eriogonum flavum

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Vulnerable

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 N1T1 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Oxytropis besseyi var. besseyi is vulnerable in Saskatchewan because it is rare or uncommon. It is restricted to the southern part of the province and most local populations are small. Possible threats have been identified.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Roots:

taproots stout

Stems:

caudex subterranean, branched, ultimate branches weakly ascending; acaulescent

Stipules:

6 – 14 mm long, thin, glabrous above, sparsely pilose below

Leaves:

petioles 1 – 6 cm long, pubescent; leaves odd-pinnate, 3 – 12 cm long

Leaflets:

9 – 19, 4 – 20 mm long, 1 – 4 mm wide, scattered, elliptic to lanceolate, pilose on both sides

Inflorescence:

racemes 2 – 8 cm long, 7 – 20-flowered; scape 14 – 19 cm long

Flowers:

calyx tube 6 – 7 mm long, hirsute, teeth 3 – 6 mm long; corolla pink to reddish-purple, fading bluish; banner 18 – 25 mm long, wings 9 – 15 mm long, keel 13 – 18 mm long, with straight or curved appendage to 2 mm long; stamens 10, diadelphous; ovary superior

Fruits:

legume covered by calyx, short-stipitate, 10 – 14 mm long, beak 4 – 5 mm long, villous; seeds brown and often purple-spotted

OXYTROPIS KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Leaflets fascicled, appearing whorled	O. splendens
1 Leaflets opposite or subopposite	2

2 Plants caulescent (with one or more nodes); flowers and pods reflexed	O. deflexa var. sericea
2 Plants acaulescent, scapose; flowers and pods ascending to erect	3

3 Corolla white, ochroleucus, or yellow	4
3 Corolla purplish or blue	5

4 Leaflets densely silky pilose, < 15; keel 15 – 20 mm long; pods coriaceous	O. campestris var. spicata
4 Leaflets sparsely pilose, > 15; keel 11 – 15 mm long; pods chartaceous	O. monticola

5 Pubescence dolabriform	O. lambertii var. lambertii
5 Pubescence not dolabriform	6

6 Leaves strongly dimorphic; calyx pubescence not shaggy; corolla blue or purple	O. campestris var. dispar
6 Leaves not dimorphic; calyx pubescence quite shaggy; corolla bright pink-purple, may dry blue	O. besseyi var. besseyi