Flora of North America species comparison

spreading to ascending, usually pubescent, rarely glabrescent or glabrous.

(11–)14–18(–22) cm;

stipules pilose abaxially, margins ciliate;

leaflets (13–)19–25(–33), scattered or subopposite, blades linear to narrowly oblong, (8–)15–25(–33) mm.

basally clustered or cauline, alternate, mostly odd-pinnate;

stipules present, sometimes persistent, adnate to petiole, often connate-sheathing;

petiolate, petiole sometimes persistent as marcescent thatch on caudex, rarely as pungent spines;

leaflets 1–45(–70), usually opposite, subopposite, scattered (irregularly spaced), or fasciculate, rarely alternate or verticillate, usually jointed to rachis, blade margins entire, surfaces usually pubescent, sometimes glabrous.

(5 or)6–12-flowered.

1–50-flowered, axillary, racemes (sometimes subcapitate);

bract 1;

bracteoles usually absent, rarely 2.

(10–)17–21(–30) cm, axis (4–)6–8(–12) cm in fruit.

papilionaceous;

calyx usually campanulate or cylindric, rarely inflated-urceolate, lobes 5, sometimes inflated and enclosing legumes, usually ruptured by legume;

corolla pink to blue-purple or white to yellowish, 5–25 mm, keel petals shorter than wing petals, tip elongated into porrect beak;

stamens 10, diadelphous;

anthers dorsifixed;

ovary enclosed in staminal sheath;

style glabrous.

pale lavender, banner veined, keel tip maculate with purplish blue, 14–20(–23) mm.

tube 5–7 mm, lobes (1–)2–3 mm.

legumes, sessile or stipitate, sometimes tumid or bladdery-inflated, straight, oblong to ellipsoid, ovoid, ovoid-ellipsoid, ovoid-oblong, lanceoloid-ovoid, cylindric, or subcylindric, abaxial suture usually rounded, adaxial suture often sulcate, dehiscent apically or throughout, unilocular or bilocular, or partially bilocular by intrusion of adaxial suture, usually pubescent, rarely glabrous.

13–23 × 3.5–5 mm.

3–25, light to dark brown or black, somewhat reniform.

= 8.