VMs: VMS -- Botany (f20r) Astragalus

[Dana Scott <dfscott@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The botanical drawing in f20r appears to be a species of Astragalus,
though selecting the correct species will be a challenge since there are
around 2000 species in this genus. Astragalus is also mentioned along
with Oxytropis; however, I have not yet determined the precise
distinction between the two. Astragalus is commonly known as Locoweed
and can be very toxic, even life threatening. Other names used in
reference to Astragalus include huang-qi, milk-vetch, and rattleweed.
While I am generally quite pleased with the match, there is one
complication. The flowers are supported on their own stem/stalk in
Astragulus, whereas in the VMS they appear to extend from stems that
also contain leaves. This may either help to narrow down the search for
a precise species or it may eventually disprove the Astragalus match.
For the time being I am satisfied with the comparison to Astragalus;
however, future discoveries may alter this selection.

Photo:
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/locoweed.htm
http://ibiblio.org/herbmed/pictures/a/astragalus-sp-1.jpg
http://www.boga.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/html/Astragalus_glycyphyllos_Foto.html

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=5208+1611+0785+0029
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+0601+0094
http://ibiblio.org/herbmed/pictures/a/astragalus-sp.jpg
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/mi04/mi04044.jpg
http://www.phyton.dk/grafik/astr3.jpg
http://www.padl.ac.at/luf/flora/astragalus.gif
http://edu.pudis.fi/tk-koulut/lukio/kasvisto/Tunturikurjenherne.jpg
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/SC02/sc02006.jpg
http://ibiblio.org/herbmed/pictures/a1/astragalus-membranaceus.jpg
http://ibiblio.org/herbmed/pictures/a1/astragalus-membranaceus-1.jpg
http://www.antirrhinum.org/~stueber/thome/band3/tafel_125_small.jpg
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/BigBend/BB0239.jpg
http://www.herbarium.usu.edu/images/Dicots/Fabaceae/astrmol3.jpg
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+0801+0681
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+0801+0680
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=5161+1631+2458+0085
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+0701+0080

Description: (search for Astragalus/Oxytropis or Locoweed)
http://www.pprl.usu.edu/locoweed.htm
http://equineestates.com/library/plants/l000pp.htm
http://thalequine.com/locoweed.htm
http://www.metromkt.net/viable/ingred.shtml#ASTRAGALUS
http://www.allnatural.net/herbpages/astragalus.shtml
http://www.drjackritchason.com/books/1.htm

Select Astragalus and Oxytropis spp:
http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/alphalist.html

Tragacanth:
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph34.htm
http://www.factmonster.com/ce6/sci/A0849229.html

Illustration:
http://www.antirrhinum.org/~stueber/thome/band3/tafel_125_small.jpg
http://www.biodiversity.uno.edu/delta/angio/images/legum07.jpg
http://caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/~stueber/lindman/321.jpg
http://www.liberherbarum.com/Pn0494fd.htm
http://www.ient.or.jp/~ishikawa/plant/astra.gif

Locoweed: (Classification)
http://www.slider.com/enc/32000/locoweed.htm

Regards,
Dana Scott