Plants usually shortly caules­cent, sometimes subacaulescent. Stems to 15 cm. Racemes (3–)5–15-flowered. Flowers: calyx 9–12(–14.3) mm, tube 6.3–9(–9.3) mm, lobes 1.4–4.5(–5.3) mm; corolla usually pink-purple, rarely white; banner (14.5–)16–22(–24) mm; keel (11.5–)12.8–17.3(–18.5) mm. Legumes ascending, initially subterete or ± dorsiventrally compressed, ± straight, subsymmetrically oblong-ellipsoid, ± laterally compressed and obtuse-angled when mature, 15–28(–30) × (4–)5–9(–10) mm, subunilocular, base obtuse or some­times cuneate, apex abruptly contracted into subulate, pungent beak, sutures prominent, strigulose. Seeds (33–)40–50(–56). 2n = 22.

Phenology: Flowering late Mar–Jul.
Habitat: Prairies, valleys, hillsides, dry open places, on limestone, shale, sandstone, or gyp­sum substrates.
Elevation: 300–2400 m.

Distribution

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Alta., Man., Sask., Ariz., Colo., Iowa, Kans., Minn., Mont., Nebr., N.Mex., N.Dak., Okla., S.Dak., Tex., Wyo.

Discussion

There is an irregular cline in flower size of var. missouriensis, from smallest in the north to largest in the south; caulescent forms appear to be more common southward (D. Isely 1998).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.