Herbs or subshrubs. Stems ascending or erect, tomentulose to hirtellous, hairs silvery to tawny. Leaves usually trifolio­late, proximalmost some­times unifoliolate; stipules caducous or persistent, lance­olate to linear-lanceolate, 3–12 × 1.5–3.5 mm, apex acuminate; petiole 5–35 mm, densely canescent-tomentose abaxially, villous adaxially; leaflet blades oblong or ovate to rhombic-ovate, elliptic, or obovate, 20–50(–60) × 10–40(–50) mm, leathery, gland-dotted, base obtuse, subcordate, or broadly cuneate, apex acute, obtuse, or rounded, minutely apiculate, surfaces puberulent, strigulose, or villosulous. Inflorescences racemes, shorter than leaves, axillary ones 1.5–4(–5) cm, terminal ones 6.5–23 cm. Pedicels 1–3 mm. Flowers: calyx 6–9 mm, hirtellous, tube 1.5–2.5 mm, lobes narrowly lanceolate to linear-subulate, laterals 4.5–7.5 mm, lengths 3+ times tube, adaxials 2–2.5 mm; corolla yellow or bright yellow; banner orbiculate, 6–9 × 5–7 mm, emarginate, glabrous; wings oblong, 6–8 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous; keel 5–7.5 × 2–2.5 mm, glabrous; stamens 5.5–7.5 mm. Legumes ovoid-oblong, compressed, 15–20 × 5–7 mm, hirtellous and puberulent, hairs intermixed. Seeds brown, black, or mottled, subglobose, compressed, 3–4 × 3–4 mm. 2n = 22.

Distribution

s, e United States.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Rhynchosia tomentosa var. mollissima, Rhynchosia tomentosa var. tomentosa

Key

1	Stipules persistent; inflorescences axillary.	Rhynchosia tomentosa var. tomentosa
1	Stipules caducous; inflorescences mostly terminal.	Rhynchosia tomentosa var. mollissima