Species: Oxytropis campestris var. columbiana

Plantae - Anthophyta - Dicotyledoneae - Fabales - Fabaceae - Oxytropis - Columbia River crazyweed was first described as a species (Oxytropis columbiana) by Harold St. John from material collected in eastern Washington (St. John, H., 1928, Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 41:100). Rupert Barneby later relegated these plants to varietal status (O. campestris var. columbiana) under the more widespread O. campestris (Barneby, R.C., 1952, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 27:177-312). A recent study of this group conducted at the University of Alberta by Wayne Elisens re-elevetad Columbia River crazyweed to full species status (Elisens, W.J., and J.G. Packer 1977, Canadian Journal of Botany 58: 1820-1831). Although there was disagreement about what taxonomic rank to assign to this taxon, up to this time all the authorities agreed that it was worthy of recognition as a separate entity.