Genus of legumes
Fruits and seeds of Astragalus hamosus Astragalus [2] 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.[3] The genus is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere . Common names include milkvetch (most species), locoweed (in North America, some species)[4] and goat's-thorn (A. gummifer A. tragacantha Vicia Astragalus .
Description Most species in the genus have pinnately compound leaves.[5] There are annual and perennial species. The flowers are formed in clusters in a raceme , each flower typical of the legume family, with three types of petals: banner, wings, and keel. The calyx is tubular or bell-shaped.[6] [7]
Taxonomy The genus was formally described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in his Species Plantarum [8]
The name Astragalus is Greek , an old name for this group of plants which were believed to have a positive effect on goat milk production.[9]
Selected species Astragalus acutirostris Astragalus agnicidus Astragalus agrestis Astragalus albens Astragalus alpinus Astragalus amphioxys Astragalus ampullarioides Astragalus andersonii Astragalus anemophilus Astragalus anisus Astragalus annularis Astragalus anserinus Astragalus anxius Astragalus applegatei Astragalus arrectus – Palouse milkvetchAstragalus asymmetricus Astragalus atropilosulus Astragalus austiniae Astragalus australis Astragalus azizi – Iranian milkvetchAstragalus barrii Astragalus bernardinus Astragalus bibullatus Astragalus bicristatus Astragalus bidentatus Astragalus bisulcatus Astragalus boeticus (Swedish) [10] Astragalus alopecurus Astragalus bolanderi Astragalus brachycalyx Astragalus brauntonii Astragalus breweri Astragalus californicus Astragalus canadensis Astragalus casei Astragalus cavanillesii Astragalus cicer Astragalus cimae Astragalus claranus Astragalus clevelandii Astragalus coccineus Astragalus congdonii Astragalus cremnophylax Astragalus crotalariae Astragalus curtipes Astragalus danicus Astragalus deanei Astragalus desereticus Astragalus didymocarpus Astragalus distortus Astragalus douglasii Astragalus ehrenbergii Astragalus ertterae Astragalus falcatus Astragalus filipes Astragalus funereus Astragalus gambelianus Astragalus gibbsii Astragalus gilmanii Astragalus glycyphyllos Astragalus harbisonii Astragalus holmgreniorum Astragalus humillimus Astragalus hypoxylus Astragalus inversus Astragalus inyoensis Astragalus iselyi Astragalus jaegerianus Astragalus johannis-howellii Astragalus kentrophyta Astragalus layneae Astragalus lemmonii Astragalus lentiformis Astragalus lentiginosus Astragalus leontinus – Tyrolean milkvetchAstragalus leptaleus Astragalus leucolobus Astragalus limnocharis Astragalus linifolius Astragalus loanus Astragalus lotoides Astragalus malacus Astragalus microcymbus Astragalus miguelensis Astragalus missouriensis Astragalus mohavensis Astragalus molybdenus Astragalus mongholicus huang qi (黄芪/黃芪 huáng qí; běi qí 北芪) Mongolian milkvetchAstragalus monoensis Astragalus monspessulanus Astragalus mulfordiae Astragalus nevinii Astragalus newberryi Astragalus nitidiflorus Astragalus nutans Astragalus nuttallianus Astragalus nuttallii Astragalus obscurus Astragalus onobrychis Astragalus oocarpus Astragalus oophorus Astragalus osterhoutii Astragalus oxyphysus Astragalus pachypus Astragalus panamintensis Astragalus pauperculus Astragalus phoenix Astragalus platytropis Astragalus pomonensis Astragalus proimanthus Astragalus proximus Astragalus pulsiferae Astragalus purshii Astragalus pycnostachyus Astragalus rattanii Astragalus ripleyi Astragalus robbinsii Astragalus sabulonum Astragalus sarcocolla Astragalus scaphoides Astragalus schmolliae Astragalus shevockii Astragalus sinicus Astragalus sinuatus Astragalus soxmaniorum Astragalus subvestitus Astragalus tener Astragalus tennesseensis Astragalus tidestromii Astragalus tragacantha Astragalus traskiae Astragalus tricarinatus Astragalus trichopodus Astragalus tuyehensis Astragalus tyghensis Astragalus umbraticus Astragalus webberi Astragalus wetherillii Astragalus whitneyi Astragalus zionis Astragalus testiculatus
Astragalus dasyanthus
Ecology Astragalus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including many case-bearing moths of the genus Coleophora C. cartilaginella C. colutella C. euryaula C. onobrychiella Astragalus , C. astragalella C. gallipennella Astragalus glycyphyllos C. hippodromica Astragalus gombo .[citation needed
Uses
Traditional medicine Astragalus has been used in traditional Chinese medicine over centuries to treat various disorders, but there is no high-quality evidence that it is effective or safe for any medical purpose.[11] [12]
Phytochemicals and supplements Extracts of astragalus root include diverse phytochemicals , such as saponins and isoflavone flavonoids , which are purported in traditional practices to increase lactation in nursing mothers.[13] There is no valid clinical evidence to indicate such use is effective or safe for the mother or infant.[13] Dietary supplement products containing astragalus extracts may not have been adequately tested for efficacy, safety, purity or consistency.[13] The root extracts of astragalus may be used in soups, teas or sold in capsules .[11]
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