''Astragalus arenarius'', the sand milk-vetch or sand milkvetch, is a species of

milkvetch ''Astragalus'' is a large genus of over 3,000 species of herbs and small shrubs, belonging to the legume family Fabaceae and the subfamily Faboideae. It is the largest genus of plants in terms of described species. The genus is native to tempe ...

mostly found in Central and Eastern Europe, with populations in Russia stretching perhaps as far as the Urals, and a few instances in Sweden, Finland, and perhaps Denmark. The

center of diversity A center of origin is a geographical area where a group of organisms, either domesticated or wild, first developed its distinctive properties. They are also considered centers of diversity. Centers of origin were first identified in 1924 by Ni ...

appears to be in Central Russia. Its chromosome number is 2n=16.

Description

The somewhat recumbent ''A. arenarius'' has slender branched stems from 10 to 40cm long, and typically reaches30 cm tall. It can be distinguished from its congeners by its having leaflets grouped in 2 to 6 pairs, 2 to 4mm wide by 10 to 20mm long; calyces that are characterized by having mostly strongly asymmetric bifurcate hairs; a standard (the large posterior petal seen in legume flowers) 15 to 17mm long; and legumes that 12 to 20 mmlong. Its petals range in color from light purple to lilac, and rarely can be white. The flowering time is from June to July.

Ecology

As the specific name implies it grows in sandy or gravelly areas, in places that have limited competition from grasses, such as sandy open pine woodlands, dunes, river banks, roadsides and railway embankments. The larvae of the moth species ''

Coleophora gallipennella ''Coleophora gallipennella'' is a moth of the family Coleophoridae. It is found in most of Europe (except the Iberian Peninsula, most of the Balkan Peninsula, Ireland, Great Britain and the Netherlands). It is also found in Asia Minor. The wings ...

'', '' C.onobrychiella'', '' C.polonicella'' and '' Syncopacma albifrontella'' feed on ''A.arenarius''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q159418 arenarius Flora of Middle Europe Flora of Eastern Europe Flora of Northern Europe Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Plants described in 1753