Description: Herbaceous perennial plant with a woody rootstock. Stems prostrate (spreading), to 10 cm (4 in.) long. Plant stems and leaves covered with dense, white wooly hairs. Leaves pinnate, 2 - 6 cm (0.8-2.4 in.) long, with 7 - 17 ovate leaflets. Inflorescence 5 - 10 flowered, peduncle stout. Flowers bilateral (pea-like); sepals 5, fused, covered with prominent black hairs; petals pink-purple, banner 22 - 29 mm (0.8 - 1.2 in.) long, keel 21 - 28 mm (to 1.1 in.) long. Fruit a legume (pod), sessile, inflated, and covered with white long silken hairs. Time of flowering: March to May.
Habitat: Unstable, usually steep, gravelly slopes of volcanic tuff, or
occasionally limestone screes. Elevations: 980 - 2,290 m
(3,200 - 7,500 ft).
Range: In Clark County, Nevada, known from two occurrences in Kyle Canyon and Wheeler Pass in the Spring Mountains. Also known from Nye County, Nevada, and Inyo County, California.
Comments: Distinguished from other Astragalus species in the range by the presence of prominent black hairs on the fused sepals.