Flora of North America species comparison

erect or ascending, very short, tufted or spreading, branched.

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

cauline, crowded near base;

stipules well developed;

petiole 2–9 cm;

leaflets 7–11, blades 10–30 × 4–10 mm, adaxial surface glabrous.

cauline;

petiole 3–15 cm;

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

several–many-flowered, 3–14 cm;

flowers spirally arranged.

4–60 cm;

flowers in crowded to widely spaced whorls.

1–10 cm;

bracts persistent, straight, 2–4 mm.

2–30 cm;

bracts persistent, reflexed, 3.5–12 mm.

1–4 mm.

0.5–5 mm.

4.5–7 mm;

calyx 3–6 mm, lobes ± equal, abaxial lobe entire, adaxial lobe cleft;

corolla dark blue-purple or whitish with blue tip, banner spot white becoming yellow, keel blunt, 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.

undulate, 1.5–2 cm, not constricted between seeds, ciliate with long, dense hairs, sides with short, inflated hairs becoming scaly on drying.

1–1.8 cm, pubescent.

persistent, disclike, sessile.

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

2, wrinkled.

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