Flora of North America species comparison

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

short, erect or spreading, branched or unbranched.

cauline;

petiole 3–15 cm;

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

cauline, crowded near base;

stipules well developed;

petiole 2–8 cm;

leaflets 7–9, blades 10–20 × 5–8 mm, adaxial surface glabrous.

4–60 cm;

flowers in crowded to widely spaced whorls.

elongate, dense, several–many-flowered, 2–12 cm, usually exceeding leaves;

flowers spirally arranged.

2–30 cm;

bracts persistent, reflexed, 3.5–12 mm.

3–5(–10 in fruit) cm;

bracts persistent, straight, 2–3 mm.

0.5–5 mm.

1–3 mm.

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.

7–10 mm;

calyx abaxial lobe shallowly cleft, 4–5 mm, adaxial lobe deeply cleft, 1–3 mm, less than 1/2 as long as abaxial;

corolla bright blue, banner spot yellow, keel blunt, glabrous.

1–1.8 cm, pubescent.

not obviously undulate, ovoid, often secund, 0.5–1 cm, adaxial margin not constricted between seeds, thinly pilose to coarsely hirsute.

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

persistent, disclike, sessile.

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

2–4, ridged.