Description: Herbs and subshrubs.
Leaves usually imparipinnate; stipule base sheathing; stipels absent.
Inflorescences axillary racemes or rarely umbels; flowers ± sessile; bracts membranous; bracteoles minute or absent. Calyx narrow-campanulate, sometimes inflated, teeth subequal. Standard erect, obovate-oblong, usually longer than wings or keel; wings oblong; keel straight or incurved. Stamens diadelphous; anthers uniform. Ovary sessile or stipitate, ovules few to many; style terete, straight or incurved, glabrous; stigma terminal.
Pod 2-valved, ± cylindrical, rarely inflated; seeds ± reniform, without aril. Mostly weeds, in dry areas.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 2000 species, cosmopolitan except Malesia, Australia, New Zealand. Australia: 2 species (naturalized), Qld, N.S.W., N.T., S.A.
Text by C. Gardner
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Hairs on stems and branches medifixed and appressed; upper surface of leaflets glabrous; peduncles more than 2 cm long; pod ± 2 cm long, strongly curved, pendent | Astragalus hamosus |
| Hairs mostly basifixed, not appressed; both surfaces of leaflets hairy; peduncles less than 1 cm long; pod ± 2cm long, straight, erect | Astragalus sesameus |
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