Flora of North America species comparison

prostrate to erect or ascending, sometimes viscid, pubescent or glabrous.

suffruticose at base, usually ascending, sometimes prostrate, branched, to 5 dm, with short white hairs along one side of stem, glabrous or short-hispid, not viscid.

alternate, odd-pinnate;

stipules present, foliaceous, amplexicaul, adnate to petiole for most of its length;

petiolate;

leaflets 3, blade margins entire, surfaces glandular-punctate or epunctate, sometimes black-punctate, glabrous or pubescent.

stipular sheath 3–7-veined, teeth of distal stipules shorter than sheath;

petiole 2.5–5 mm;

leaflet blades lanceolate to elliptic, 15 × 3.5 mm, veins 3–4 pairs, base cuneate, margins entire, apex acute, mucronate, surfaces bristly-ciliate or glabrous, not punctate.

1–15+-flowered, terminal or axillary, spikes or solitary flowers, erect, axis rudiment (aborted floral axis) sometimes present;

bracts present, persistent, foliaceous;

bracteoles persistent, 1 outer, 1 or 2 inner.

3 or 4-flowered, ovoid, to 1.5 cm, axis rudiment absent;

bracts 1–3-foliolate, 5–9-veined, 2.5–4.5 mm wide, bristly;

outer bracteole 2.5–3.5 mm, apex ciliate;

inner bracteole 1, 2–2.5 mm, apex ciliate.

papilionaceous;

calyx tubular, lobes 5, unequal, adaxial 4-lobed;

corolla yellow or orange-yellow, inserted near apex of calyx tube;

petals evenly graduated;

wings shorter and narrower than banner, not adnate to keel, clawed, auriculate;

keel incurved or rostrate;

stamens 10, monadelphous;

anthers dimorphic, 5 versatile anthers alternating with 5 sub-basifixed;

ovary subsessile;

style curved, glabrous or pubescent.

calyx tube 4–5 mm, lobes acute;

corolla yellow;

banner suborbiculate, 3–4 mm;

wings 3–4 mm;

keel 3–3.5 mm.

loments, sessile or stipitate, tan or brown, compressed, articulate, ovate, individual segments indehiscent, glabrous or pubescent;

segments 2, breaking apart, proximal segment fertile or abortive, densely pubescent, distal segment fertile, reticulate;

style persistent as a beak, beak erect, declined, or coiled.

1 or 2, black, compressed, ovoid, shiny.

1–1.5 mm.

reticulate, 1.5–2.5 mm wide;

fertile segment 1;

proximal segment sterile;

distal segment 1.5–2.5(–4) mm, puberulent;

beak hooked to coiled, 1.5–3.5(–5.5) mm, equaling to greatly surpassing distal segment, pubescent.

= 10.

= 20.