Flora of North America species comparison

very short, tufted, branched.

ascending or erect, branched near base or middle, or unbranched, hollow, at least near base.

cauline, crowded near base;

stipules well developed;

petiole 1–6 cm;

leaflets (3 or)5–9, blades 8–20 × 2–9 mm, adaxial surface glabrous.

cauline;

petiole 3–15 cm;

leaflets 5–9(–11), blades 10–50 × 2–12 mm, adaxial surface glabrous.

dense, 3–16-flowered, 1–8 cm;

flowers spirally arranged, crowded.

4–60 cm;

flowers in crowded to widely spaced whorls.

1–8(–10) cm;

bracts persistent, straight, 2–3 mm.

2–30 cm;

bracts persistent, reflexed, 3.5–12 mm.

0.3–1.5 mm.

0.5–5 mm.

6–8 mm;

calyx abaxial lobe entire or shallowly cleft, ± 6 mm, adaxial lobe 2-toothed, 3 mm, less than 1/2 as long as abaxial;

corolla bright blue, banner spot white or yellow, keel glabrous.

8–18 mm;

calyx appendages usually absent, sometimes present, abaxial lobe 5–11 mm, adaxial lobe 2–6 mm;

corolla white to dark yellow, pink to dark rose, or lavender to purple, lower wing margins sometimes ciliate, upper margins usually ciliate near claw, upper keel margins usually ciliate near claw, lower margins sometimes ciliate but not as densely.

not undulate, 1 cm, thinly pilose to coarsely hirsute.

1–1.8 cm, pubescent.

persistent, disclike, sessile.

persistent or deciduous (leaving circular scar), disclike, sessile.

1 or 2, smooth.

2, tan to brown, usually mottled, ridged or smooth.