Herbs perennial, from rhizome, pubescent except glabrous on legumes and leaflets adaxially. Stems angled, erect, sprawling, or climbing, basally branched 0–several times, 1–6 dm. Leaves 2–10 cm; tendrils mucronate (less than 1 cm) to well devel­oped; stipules linear, 5–25 × 1–8 mm, much smaller than leaflets; leaflets 4–12, usually scattered, blades broadly ovate to lanceolate or linear, (17–)20–110 × 2–30(–37) mm, surfaces usually glabrous, rarely finely pubescent. Inflorescences 2–10-flowered, 3–15 cm. Flowers 12–22 mm; calyx lobes unequal, lateral lobes deltate, usually shorter than tube; corolla blue-purple to pink-purple or white, banner erect, blade longer than claw, wings equal to keel; ovary glabrous. Legumes 20–30(–45) × 5–10 mm.

Distribution

w North America.

Discussion

Varieties 3 (3 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Lathyrus nevadensis var. cusickii, Lathyrus nevadensis var. nevadensis, Lathyrus nevadensis var. parkeri

Key

1	Corollas blue-purple to pink-purple; British Columbia, California, w Oregon, w, c Washington.	Lathyrus nevadensis var. nevadensis
1	Corollas white; ne Oregon, e Washington, adja­cent Idaho.	> 2
2	Leaves 4–10 cm; leaflets 6–10; tendrils well developed; flowers 5–10, 12–18 mm.	Lathyrus nevadensis var. parkeri
2	Leaves 2–5 cm; leaflets 4 or 6; tendrils reduced to bristles, (usually less than 1 cm); flowers 2–4, 18–22 mm.	Lathyrus nevadensis var. cusickii