Astragalus tennesseensis

Imperiled  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Astragalus
Species:
A. tennesseensis
Binomial name
Astragalus tennesseensis

Astragalus tennesseensis is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name Tennessee milkvetch. It is native to the United States, where it is known from Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Alabama.[1] Most of the occurrences are in Tennessee.[2]

This plant produces cream-colored flowers in April and May.[1] The seedlings grow slowly and several years pass before the plants reach reproductive maturity.[3] The species is adapted to drought, remaining metabolically active in habitat that is dry over the summer.[4]

This plant has been nearly extirpated from Illinois and Indiana, but it has been reintroduced there in a few select populations.[1] Some natural populations have been rediscovered in Illinois.[2]

The plant grows in cedar glades and glade ecotones[2] and open prairies.[1] It may be found in the partial shade of Juniperus virginiana,[5] but it does not tolerate heavy shade.[6]

This species is unique within genus Astragalus and it is the only species in section Tennesseensis.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Astragalus tennesseensis. Archived October 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Center for Plant Conservation.
  2. 1 2 3 Astragalus tennesseensis. The Nature Conservancy.
  3. ↑ Baskin, C. C., et al. (1972). Observations on the ecology of Astragalus tennesseensis. American Midland Naturalist 88(1) 167-82.
  4. ↑ Baskin, C. C. and J. M. Baskin. (1974). Responses of Astragalus tennesseensis to drought. Changes in free amino acids and amides during water stress and possible ecological significance. Oecologia 17(1) 11-16.
  5. ↑ Edwards, A. L., et al. (2004). Genetic diversity in Astragalus tennesseensis and the federal endangered Dalea foliosa (Fabaceae). Archived 2012-03-16 at the Wayback Machine Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 131(4) 279-91.]
  6. 1 2 Baskin, J. M. and C. C. Baskin. (2005). Ecology of two geographically restricted Astragalus species (Fabaceae), A. bibullatus and A. tennesseensis, of the eastern United States. Brittonia 57(4):345-353.


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