Astragalus laguroides Pall.

Munkhtulga, Dariganga, Baasanmunkh, Shukherdorj, Nyamgerel, Nudkhuu, Park, Jong Ho, Tsegmed, Zagarjav, Tojibaev, Komiljon Sh. & Choi, Hyeok Jae, 2025, Morphological and phylogenetic analysis approach to three new species and a new section of Astragalus (Fabaceae) from Mongolia, PhytoKeys 255, pp. 51-73 : 51-73

Astragalus laguroides Pall. , Reise Russ. Reich. 3 (2): App. 750 (1776).

Fig. 2

≡ Astragalus lagurus Pall. , Sp. Astragal.: 18 (1800).

≡ Saccocalyx laguroides (Pall.) Steven , Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou 4: 269 (1832).

≡ Tragacantha laguroides (Pall.) Kuntze , Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 945 (1891).

= Astragalus tamiricus N. Ulziykh. in L. G. Byazrov & al., Fl. Khangaya: 124 (1989). syn. nov. • Type. Mongolia. Khangai region : • Arkhangai province, Ikhtamir soum, Khoid Tamir river, monasterium Tzetza-Van , shrublands, 19 August 1926, N. Pavlov (Holotype LE 01017820!, Paratype LE 01017821!, Paratype LE 01017822!, Isotype MW 0593230!).

Type.

Mongolia. circa Selenga river, P. S. Pallas [BM! (Fig. 6 D )].

Diagnosis.

Astragalus laguroides is a type species in the section Laguropsis ( Podlech and Zarre 2013) . This species is widely distributed in central and western Mongolia. According to the description of A. tamiricus , some morphological characteristics, such as racemes, leaflets, stipules, and flowers, including calyx, standard, keel, and wings, are slightly smaller than A. laguroides ( Biazrov et al. 1989) . However, our studied samples of A. tamiricus , collected from the type location in Arkhangai Province, clustered with A. laguroides based on our phylogenetic tree (Fig. 1 ). Therefore, we treated A. tamiricus as an additional synonym of A. laguroides in this study.

Description.

Plants perennial 8–15 (– 20) cm tall, acaulescent or nearly so, in vegetative parts covered with medifixed, appressed white hairs. Stems, if present, up to 1 cm, angular-sulcate, densely hairy. Stipules 6–8 (– 10) mm, narrowly triangular-acuminate, adnate to the petiole for c. 3–4 mm, otherwise free from each other, covered with spreading or ascending hairs. Leaves 3–14 (– 18) cm; petiole 1.5–5 (– 8) cm, like the rachis rather densely to densely, more rarely loosely hairy. Leaflets in 3–5 (– 8) pairs, in the basal leaves often only in 1–2 pairs, narrowly elliptic to more rarely elliptic, 8–25 (– 40) × 3–6 mm, acute, on both sides rather densely appressed hairy. Peduncles 2–12 cm, rather densely covered with symmetrically to asymmetrically bifurcate, appressed to subappressed white hairs, toward the raceme sometimes also with some black hairs mixed in. Racemes ovoid, 2–4 (– 6) cm long, densely many-flowered. Bracts linear-acute, 4–8 mm, covered with asymmetrically bifurcate, at the margins with basifixed white hairs. Calyx at anthesis tubular, soon becoming ovoid-inflated, 11–14 mm, loosely to rather densely covered with asymmetrically bifurcate to basifixed, tangled, spreading white hairs 1–2 mm, at outer side of the teeth and sometimes at the nerves of the tube also with black hairs; teeth subulate, 3–4 mm. Petals violet. Standard 17–20 mm; blade 6–7 mm wide, narrowly obovate, apex emarginate. Wings slightly shorter than standard, ca. 14–18 mm long; blades narrowly oblong, rounded, 5.5–7 × 1.5–2 mm; auricle 1 mm, claw 9–10 mm. Keel 13–15 mm; blades 4–4.5 × 1.8–2.2 mm; claw 9–10 mm. Ovary sessile, narrowly ellipsoid. Pods enclosed in the calyx, sessile, oblong, (6) 7-8 × 2-3 mm long, keeled ventrally, slightly and widely grooved dorsally, with a hooked beak c. 1 mm, unilocular; covered with subappressed to spreading white hairs 1–1.5 mm, smaller black hairs amount to greater than the apex.

Distribution.

China (Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang), Russia and Mongolia ( Podlech and Zarre 2013) (Fig. 9 ).

Habitat.

This species grows in debris, stony slopes, trails, pebble beds, rocky and stony screes.

Additional specimens examined.

Mongolia. Khuvsgul region: • Selenge province, 13 km west from Tsagaannuur soum , 50°6'0"N, 105°21'0"E, 757 m, 12 June 2012, D. N. Shaulo ( NS 0010107 ) • Khangai region: Khangai, at the spring between Oit-beise and Lugan-kure , 47°48'13.17"N, 101°58'23.88"E, 1471 m, 11 July 1926, N. Ikkonnikov-Galitzky ( LE 01017821 ) • Arkhangai province, Tuvshruulekh soum , 47°26'43.6"N, 101°55'9.5"E, 1572 m, 20 June 1977, N. P. Guricheva ( MW 0183266 , MW 0183267 ) • Arkhangai province, Tsenkher soum, Urd Tamir river , 48°23'59.9"N, 97°9'4.9"E, 2118 m, 11 July 1978, I. A. Gubanov ( MW 0183264 ) • Bulgan province, Khishig-Undur soum, Teg river , 48°48'17.9"N, 103°31'49.4"E, 1209 m, 05 July 1974, O. V. Jurba ( MW 0183270 ) • Bulgan province, Mogod soum, Nomgon mountain , 48°16'1.17"N, 102°55'44.67"E, 1706 m, 02 July 1980, Sh. Dariimaa ( UBA) • Bulgan province, 9 km south east from Unit soum , 49°15'15"N, 102°56'41.6"E, 1238 m, 17 June 1964, Khishgee ( UBA) • Bulgan province, Khangal soum, Burgastain davaa , 49°10'22.99"N, 104°28'38.27"E, 1433 m, 04 August 1978, B. Mandakh & Sh. Dariimaa ( UBA) . Arkhangai province, Khangai soum , 47°50'0.132"N, 99°21'6.876"E, 2135 m, 05 August 2020, Sh. Baasanmunkh ( UBU 0010817 , UBU 0032212 ) • Arkhangai province, Battsengel soum , 47°45'53.208"N, 101°56'38.904"E, 1420 m, 20 August 2020, Sh. Baasanmunkh ( UBU 0010820 ) • Arkhangai province, Ikh Tamir soum, Tamir river , 47°36'27.9"N, 101°8'17.3"E, 1420 m, 30 June 2023, D. Munkhtulga ( UBU 0039991 – UBU 0039998 , UBU 0040555 , UBU 0040556 ) • Arkhangai province, Ikh Tamir soum, Tamir river , 1666 m, 28 May 2024, B. Oyuntsetseg, G. Bayarmaa & D. Munkhtulga ( UBU 0039103 , UBU 0039104 ) • Dauria region: • Tuv province, 3 km northwest from Bornuur soum , 48°32'7.3"N, 106°8'1.5"E, 1208 m, 07 June 1973, K. Kloss ( GFW 45636 ) • Tuv province, Unjuul soum, Argal mountain , 47°59'8.22"N, 105°55'2.1"E, 1445 m, 19 July 1973, Ch. Sanchir ( UBA) • Selenge province, Dulaankhan soum, Yruu river, Dulaankhan mountain , 49°56'3.1"N, 106°12'21.5"E, 750 m, 09 August 1982, E. Ganbold ( UBA) • Mongolian Altai region: • Khovd province, Darvi soum, Sutai mountain , 46°23'59.1"N, 94°0'38.3"E, 1900 m, 18 August 1984, I. A. Gubanov ( MW 0183284 ) • Gobi-Altai province, Tsetseg soum , 46°19'3.817"N, 93°2'35.239"E, 1430 m, 12 July 2019, B. Oyuntsetseg ( UBU 0006948 ) • Gobi-Altai province, Tseel soum, Baga Tayan , 45°24'54"N, 95°52'4.8"E, 1893 m, 07 July 2019, B. Oyuntsetseg, Sh. Baasanmunkh ( UBU 0005920 , UBU 0005922 ) • Middle Khalkh region: • Avzaga mountain , 48°1'53.05"N, 103°14'40.64"E, 1917 m, 12 June 1971, V. I. Grubov, N. Ulziikhutag & Sh. Dariimaa ( UBA) • Tuv province, 7 km south from Unjuul soum , 46°49'12"N, 105°30'36"E, 1552 m, 30 July 1973, T. I. Kazantseva ( NS 0025349 ) • same locality, 7 June 1974, T. K. Gordeeva, ( NS 0025347 , NS 0025348 ) • Tuv province, Buren soum, Ikher-Uhaa , 46°59'13.9"N, 105°3'28.1"E, 1377 m, 22 July 1976, Tumurtogoo ( UBU 0039987 ) • Depression of Great Lakes region: • Khovd province, Myangad soum , 48°15'7.898"N, 91°54'14"E, 1185 m, 26 August 1984, I. A. Gubanov ( MW 0183279 ) • Khovd province, Chandmani soum, Jargalant khairkhan mountain , 47°49'23.2"N, 92°24'15.1"E, 1836 m, 19 August 2003, M. Schnittler ( GFW 45638 ) • Khovd province, 5 km south west from Khar-Us Lake , 47°42'59.8"N, 91°58'59.902"E, 1459 m, S. A. Dyachenko & P. A. Kosachev ( ALTB 1100016497 ) • Valley of Lakes region: Bayankhongor province, 30 km west from Arvaikheer city , 46°3'50.4"N, 102°30'18"E, 2130 m, 1974, Ts. Jamsran, ( UBU 0026328 ) • Uvurkhangai province, Guchin-Us soum , 45°24'8.399"N, 102°14'55.298"E, 1575 m, 23 July 1978, G. N. Ogureeva ( MW 0183268 ) • Bayankhongor province, Bogd soum , 45°31'30"N, 101°6'28.8"E, 1569 m, 12 July 2019, Batsaikhan ( UBU 0006948 ) • Bayankhongor province, Bumbugur soum , 46°13'8.4"N, 99°6'43.2"E, 1994 m, 05 July 2019, B. Oyuntsetseg, Sh. Baasanmunkh ( UBU 0006680 ) • Bayankhongor province, Buutsagaan soum , 46°11'36.5"N, 99°10'1.5"E, 1880 m, 29 May 2024, B. Oyuntsetseg, G. Bayarmaa & D. Munkhtulga ( UBU 0039105 – UBU 0039112 ) • Gobi Altai region: • Bayankhongor province, Buutsagaan soum, south slope of Bogd mountain , 44°57'42.38"N, 100°12'10.31"E, 2725 m, 02 July 1977, E. Ganbold ( UBA) • Bayankhongor province, Bogd soum, Orog lake , 44°59'19.1"N, 100°52'50.999"E, 1100 m, 16 July 2013, R. Tungalag & Ts. Tsendeekhuu ( UBU 0021615 ) • Trans-Altai Gobi region: • Bayankhongor province, Shinejinst soum, Djinst mountain, Altai tsagaan khaalga , 44°25'37.582"N, 99°19'6.24"E, 2190 m, 07 September 1979, Ch. Sanchir ( UBA) • Govi-Altai province Tseel soum, Aj Bogd mountain, Ar zuslan river , 44°41'12.221"N, 95°14'9.481"E, 2400 m, 09 August 1984, Kh. Buyan-Orshikh & Yu. G. Evtipeev ( UBA) • Bayankhongor province, Shinejinst soum, Djinst mountain , 44°26'28.4"N; 99°13'36"E, 2000 m, 14 July 1979, I. A. Gubanov ( MW 0593124 , MW 0593125 ) .

Figures

Figure 1. Phylogenetic tree of Astragalus species based on ITS sequences. Newly sequenced samples are indicated with UBU specimen code. The bootstrap support values above 70 % are shown at branch level. CHN, MGL, KAZ, and RUS samples are from China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Russia, respectively.

Figure 2. Astragalus laguroides in Mongolia A general habit B raceme C flower D bracts E standard F wings G keel H pistil I stamens J pod K leaves L leaflet M omission of medifixed hairs on the upper side of the leaf N stipules. (Photo credits: S. Baasanmunkh and D. Munkhtulga).

Figure 6. Type specimens of Astragalus species A A. uvsicus (UBU 0039100) B A. teshigicus (UBU 0002138) C A. oyunicus (UBU 0039102) D A. laguroides (BM 000632540) E A. tamiricus (LE 01017820) F A. gobi-altaicus (LE 01016096).

Figure 9. Distribution map of the studied Astragalus species from the sections Laguropsis and Uvsicus in Mongolia.