Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 73. (Budapest 1981)

Szujkó-Lacza, J.: Revision of three Astragalus taxa (Leguminosae) and their cenological relations

Astragalus exscapus L. "acaulis exscapus, leguminibus lanatis, foliis villosis" Mant II. p. 275. Syn: A. leiocarpus Shuttlew. Mag. Zool. u. Bot. II. 520 (1838) A. acaulis Scop. Insubr. 2. p. 112. n. 59. A. acaulis exscapus Linn. Mant. II. p. 275. Jacq. Icon. Rar. III. p. 13. Tab. 561 ; Roth. Germ. I. p. 312. I. v. 2. p. 195. Here LINNÉ (I.e.) rely particulary on MORISON (1715) p. 111. "8. Astragalus luteus, perennis procumbens vulgaris, nobis", but this description may correspond to more species. Particularly to Halt. Helv. n. 45 (cf. DECANDOLLE 1802). The first icon was published by JAQUIN (1876 ad 1973), but it shows a transitional form more precisely was given by PALLAS (I.e.); as Astragalus f. typica by BECK (1903). The Astragalus exscapus by this character: "acaulis" or "exscapus" is characterized well, many taxonomists agree with this opinion. Contrary with this, experts' opinion differ in the taxonomical range of Astragalus exscapus "f. caulifer BORB.". According to Soó (1968) it is the "Astragalus exscapus f. culescens A. MAYER in CELAK 1874, (f. caulifer BORB.)". The original herbarium sheet collected by BORBÁS in 11. Jul. 1888. can be found in the BP with "Astragalus exscapus var. caulifer BORB. ; in arenosis campi Rákos ad Budapestinum 11. Jul. 1888.; Dr. Vince de Borbás; 2454" on the label. The BP numero 455214 (Fig. 1). The original "Herbarium of Borbás" did not contain the "type specimens" to-day, or he signed on the label later (1888) than described it. He had collected this variety at first on 14. June 1871 in "Rákos" meadow beside Budapest, and in 1891 and 1893 at "Zugliget" beside Budapest. But this specimens may be a lectotype for this variety. BORBÁS described this taxon as a var. caulifer and not as a form on the herbarium label and also in 1885 in German language "Astragalus exscapus var. caulifer m., mit 15 cm langem Stengel und ganz von der Tracht des A. dasyanthus, von dem jedoch die var. caulifer durch die kahle Fahne und eine mehr lockere Inflorescenz verschieden ist. Diese Apostasis des Strengeis kann man hier für eine Accomodation ansehen, denn A. exscapus wächst auf diese Weise den Sand durch, wenn er durch den Wind in demselbe begraben wurde." Ö.B.Z. 35:232-233. In the same year he described it in Hungarian language in : Erdészeti Lapok 3: 302-304 almost with the same text, though he had not given a description of this variety in Latin language. According to this: Astragalus exscapus L. var. caulifer BORB. emend SzL. Syn. nov. : f. caulescent MAYER in CELAK (cf. Soó 1973) f. scaposus REICHENBACH (1903) "fil. pedunculis conspicuis". Non f. scaposus BECK and non f. caulifer BORB. (cf. Soó 1973). BECK (I. c.) had given the good drawing from the Astragalus exscapus f. typica and f. scaposus on Table 156 (MMCCVII), too. Diagn. nova: Acaulis, Flores terminales, capitati peduncus elongatus, ortus ex caude. Flora laxa. Legumina semi-locularia. Semen lucidum, fuscum usque ad violaceum. (In genera Astragalus this phenomenon, i.e. the "caulifer" arise in Astragalus pubiflorus species, too.) Both occur in the same locality BORBÁS (I.e.) refers to the fact that the variety of "caulifer" came into beeing in high gras steppe. Consequently the Astragalus exscapus and A. exscapus var. caulifer grown together in both localities studied by me, in Astragalo-Festucetum rupicolae in Hungary and Festuca valesiaca — Erysismum erepidifolium community KLIKA (1933) in Bohemian Central Mountain. But the Astragalus exscapus often occurs without its variety. The ecological factor complex, which cause the caulifer variety, is the structure of grasses associations. The "acaulon" form of the plant frequently occurs among the dicotyledonous