Swainsonine and Endophyte Relationships in Astragalus mollissimus and Astragalus lentiginosus

Locoweeds are defined as Astragalus and Oxytropis species that induce locoism due to the toxic alkaloid swainsonine. Swainsonine was detected in all parts of Astragalus lentiginosus and Astragalus mollissimus, with greater concentrations found in the aboveground parts. Undifilum oxytropis, a fungal endophyte responsible for the synthesis of swainsonine, was detected in all plant parts of A. lentiginosus and A. mollissimus. The amount of endophyte within a plant part does not always correspond to the concentration of swainsonine in the same part. Plants of A. mollissimus and A. lentiginosus can be divided into two chemotypes: those that contain swainsonine (>0.1%; chemotype 1) and those that contain little or no detectable swainsonine (