Flora of North America species comparison

erect, usually pubescent, rarely glabrate or glabrous, glandular nearly throughout, gland-dotted when young.

to 10 dm, gland-dotted when young, often gray-strigulose, hairs antrorse.

broomlike;

sterile shoots not sharp-tipped.

alternate, odd-pinnate or unifoliolate;

stipules present, caducous, usually triangular to subulate or linear, rarely obovate;

petiolate;

leaflets 1–17(or 19), stipels absent, blade margins entire or gland-crenulate, surfaces usually glandular-punctate abaxially, pubescent.

unifoliolate or pinnate, (0.2–)0.4–2 cm;

leaflets 1 or 3, blades linear-oblanceolate, 2–15 mm, terminal leaflet longer than laterals, surfaces gland-dotted abaxially, strigulose.

relatively loose;

rachis not spine-tipped in anthesis, (0.1–)0.3–1.8 cm;

bracts ovate to oblanceolate, 1.5–2.5 mm;

bracteoles absent.

1–20+-flowered, terminal and axillary (sometimes leaf-opposed), usually racemes, rarely spikes;

bracts present, caducous;

bracteoles 0 or 2, at apex of pedicel or base of calyx.

papilionaceous;

calyx campanulate, lobes 5, unequal;

ribs 10, not anastomosing into closed arches distally;

corolla usually blue, blue-purple, pink-purple, magenta-purple, violet-purple, violet, or bicolored, sometimes with yellow eye, rarely white;

banner blade differentiated from claw, reflexed less than 90°, claw shorter;

wings not adnate to keel, blades oblique basally, claws shorter, linear;

keel not strongly twisted, blades narrowly overlapping and adherent, oblique basally, blunt-tipped, claws linear;

stamens 10, monadelphous, equal or alternately short and long;

anthers dorsifixed;

style glabrous or pilosulous.

calyx 3.5–4.5 mm, densely pilosulous, tube 2.2–3 mm, ribs fairly prominent, intervals each with 1 row of (1 or)2–5 glands, lobes ovate, abaxial lobe shorter;

corolla usually bright blue or blue-purple with pale yellow eye, rarely white;

banner 6.4–9 mm, oblong-obovate, base cordate;

wings oblong-lanceolate, 5–6.7 × 1.7–2.1 mm;

keel obliquely obovate, (4.2–)4.6–5.8 × 1.7–2.1 mm;

stamens 5.5–8.5 mm;

filaments distinct to 2.3–2.6 mm;

anthers 0.6–0.9 mm, connective gland-tipped.

legumes, sessile, mostly tan, plump to compressed, obovoid, ovoid-ellipsoid, obovoid-ellipsoid, or obliquely obovoid or ellipsoid, indehiscent, often membranous proximally, thickened distally, gland-dotted, glabrous or pubescent.

obliquely obovate, 4 mm, with large glands distally, glabrous proximally, pilosulous distally.

usually 1, rarely 2, chestnut to brownish or greenish, sometimes with brown or purple spots, somewhat compressed, oblong.

2.1–2.7 mm.

= 10.

= 20.