Herbs perennial, from rhizome or thickened rootstock, gla­brous. Stems angled, erect, sprawling, or climbing, basally branched 1–3 times, 3–8 dm. Leaves 6–9 cm; tendrils well developed; stipules ovate to lanceolate, 15–25 × 5–11 mm, much smaller than leaflets; leaf­ets 6–10, scattered, blades lanceolate to linear or ovate, 20–80 × 2–35 mm, surfaces glabrous. Inflorescences 4–13-flowered, 5–18 cm. Flowers 12–20 mm; calyx lobes unequal, lateral lobes deltate, shorter than tube; corolla pale blue-lavender to purple, banner erect, blade longer than claw, wings longer than keel, (by 1–4 mm); ovary glabrous. Legumes 30–50 × 5–10 mm.

Distribution

w United States.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Lathyrus pauciflorus var. pauciflorus, Lathyrus pauciflorus var. utahensis

Key

1	Leaflet blades lanceolate to linear, width less than 1/2 length.	Lathyrus pauciflorus var. pauciflorus
1	Leaflet blades ovate, width equal to or greater than 1/2 length.	Lathyrus pauciflorus var. utahensis