Family |
Fabaceae
Astragalus hermoneus
Boiss.
Leb. Syr.
Astragalus hermoneus Boiss.
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, Pl. CLI nº 3; 1983)
Life-form & habit: Dwarf, cushion-forming subshrub, 5–15 cm tall. Stems short, closely set with spiny leaves, glabrescent between the stipules, which are themselves glabrous.
Leaves: Petiole and rachis yellowish, puberulent, 2–4 cm long, with the spine shorter than the uppermost leaflets. Leaflets in 7–8 pairs, very small, obovate, obtuse, and sparsely pubescent.
Inflorescence & flowers: Peduncles shorter than the leaves, bearing short racemes of 3–4 briefly pedicellate flowers. Bracts membranous, yellowish, ciliate on the margin.
Calyx: Campanulate-tubular, 5–6 mm, with teeth one-third the length of the tube.
Corolla: Flesh-pink, scarcely reaching 2 cm; standard slightly longer than wings and keel.
Fruit: Pods twice the length of the calyx, glabrous, yellowish, tapered at both ends.
Phenology: Flowers from April to August depending on altitude.
Habitat & elevation: Prefers non-calcareous or decalcified substrates.
Lebanese distribution: Mm. Jabal Barouk, Jabal Sannine, ‘Aïn Saoua‘ir (on sandstone), Cedars of Bsharré, Marj Hin, Jabal Qamou‘a, Jabal Matrafé, Marj ‘Asfour.
Syrian distribution: Hermon (above Zebdani), Jabal Chekif, Tala‘at Moussa, Birket el-Foukhté, J.D. Soueida–Sâlé, Tell Qpuleib, above Soueida.
Native range: Endemic to Lebanon and Syria