Herbs, perennial, sometimes subshrubs, sometimes bushy, gray, 1–10 dm, not fleshy, gray-canescent or strigose; from woody caudices. Stems 1–10+, procumbent to ascending, much branched, stiff, sometimes ± woody, leafy. Leaves subpalmate; stipules glandlike; subsessile to short-petiolate; rachis 1–4 mm, flattened; leaflets usually 3, blades obovate to oblanceolate, apex usually acute, sometimes obtuse to emarginate, surfaces canescent to strigose. Peduncles ascending, 0–3 mm, shorter than leaves; bract absent. Inflorescences 1–3(–5)-flowered. Flowers 6–12 mm; calyx 2–6 mm, tube ± densely strigose, lobes triangular or subulate; corolla yellow or with red, claws scarcely to much longer than calyx tube, banner implicate-ascending, wings longer than banner and keel; style curved, glabrous. Legumes persistent, exserted, reflexed, green to pale reddish brown, straight to ± curved (initially), turgid, not or slightly constricted, not septate, linear-oblong, 10–16 × 1.5–2 mm, leathery, apex tapering, short-beaked, indehiscent, transverse-ridged, margins slightly keeled, smooth, glabrate to ± densely strigillose. Seeds 2 or 3+, dull yellowish brown, not mottled, elongate-oblong, smooth.

Distribution

California.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Acmispon procumbens var. jepsonii, Acmispon procumbens var. procumbens

Key

1	Stems procumbent to ascending; inflorescences 1–3(–5)-flowered; flowers 6–8 mm; calyces 2–3 mm, lobes shorter than calyx tube, triangular; petal claws well exserted.	Acmispon procumbens var. procumbens
1	Stems ascending; inflorescences 1 or 2(or 3)-flowered; flowers (7–)9–12 mm; calyces 4–6 mm, lobes ± equaling calyx tube, subulate; petal claws scarcely exserted.	Acmispon procumbens var. jepsonii