Taxonomic history:
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Astragalus monspessulanus in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 761 of Ray Society 1957 facsimile.
   today: The current name for this species is Astragalus monspessulanus L.

original Latin description
Astragalus acaulis, scapis declinatis longitudine foliorum, leguminibus subulatis teretibus subarcuatis glabris.

English translation
Astragalus stemless; with scapes sloped downward [and] with the length of the leaves; [and] with legumes subulate, terete, nearly arched, [and] glabrous.

English translation with commentary

Astragalus	Astragalus
stemless;	acaulis - nominative singular masculine of group B adjective acaulis, -is, -e; modifies Astragalus
with scapes	scapis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun scapus, -i
sloped downward	declinatis - ablative plural of perfect passive participal of first conjugation verb declino, -are, =avi, -atum; modifies scapis
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
with the length	longitudine - ablative singular of third declension feminine noun longitudo,longitudinis
of the leaves;	foliorum - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
with legumes	leguminibus - ablative plural of third declension neuter noun legumen, leguminis
subulate,	subulatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective subulatus, -a, -um; modifies leguminibus
terete,	teretibus - ablative plural neuter of group B adjective teres, teres, tere; modifies leguminibus
nearly arched	subarctuatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective subarcuatus, -a, -um; modifies leguminibus
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
glabrous.	glabris - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective glaber, glabra, glabrum; modifies leguminibus