Flora of North America species comparison

twining, erect, semierect, or prostrate, slender, sometimes hollow, sparsely to densely pubescent.

twining, solid, sericeous.

alternate, usually odd-pinnate, rarely unifoliolate;

stipules present, persistent, not prolonged proximally, veined;

petiolate;

leaflets 3, stipels persistent, often reflexed, blade margins entire or 2-lobed, surfaces pubescent or glabrescent.

stipules retrorse, lanceolate or ovate, 5–6 × 1.8–2 mm;

petiole 3.5–8 cm, canescent;

rachis 5–8 mm;

stipels linear, 1.2–2.5 mm;

leaflets papery, blades elliptic or ovate, base cuneate or obtuse, apex acute, surfaces often canescent abaxially, strigose adaxially;

lateral blades 3.3–4 × 2.7–3.3 cm, 2-lobed, terminal blades often hastate, 4.5–4.7 × 3–4.3 cm.

6–12-flowered, axillary, pseudoracemes, cleistogamous flowers present in some species, with modified inflorescences, tufts of bracts present at base of peduncle, persistent or caducous, nodes swollen, glandular;

node bracts present, caducous or inconspicuous, bracteoles present, usually caducous.

26–36 cm, axes pilose;

tufts of bracts at base of peduncle persistent, 5.5 mm, lanceolate, canescent;

extrafloral nectaries conspicuous at nodes;

bracts and bracteoles lanceolate or subulate.

mostly shorter than calyx tube.

1–2 mm.

papilionaceous;

calyx tubular or campanulate, lobes 5, lobes shorter to longer than tube, distinct or adaxial lobes partly connate;

petals connate;

corolla salmon-orange, red, or purple-black;

banner orbiculate, obovate, or oblong, emarginate;

wings ovate or oblong to obovate, conspicuously projected beyond distal bend of keel one directed upward to adopt function of banner;

keel incurved, beak hooked, tip of beak hidden by wings;

stamens 10, diadelphous;

anthers sub-basifixed;

ovary with nectary disc at base, style apically recurved and thickened, distal portion introrsely bearded, stigma terminal;

ovules 4–24.

1.7–3 cm;

calyx campanulate, 6.2–8 mm, canescent, calyx lobes shorter than tube;

corolla purple-black;

banner oblong, 13–17 × 9–10.4 mm;

wings obovate, 13–24 × 8–14.3 mm;

keel 9–16 mm;

ovary nectary disc distally oblique;

ovules 13.

legumes, patent or pendent, substipitate, valves plane or twisting, linear or oblong-falcate, dehiscent, non-septate, pilose, strigose, or hirsute.

patent, linear, 7–10 × 0.3–0.4 cm, valves twisting at dehiscence.

2–20, oblong or reniform;

hilum not centric, oblong or ovate.

12 or 13, oblong, 3.5–5.2 × 2–3.2 mm.

, perennial;

root elongate.

= 11.

= 22.