Herbs, annual [perennial], [shrubs, small trees, rarely lianescent], single-stemmed. Stems erect, sparsely pubescent. Leaves alternate; petiolate; uniform or dimorphic; blade surfaces pubescent. Inflorescences terminal, racemes; peduncle present; bracts deciduous. Pedicels present. Flowers greenish or cream, to blue-tinged in age or on drying, wings bluish purple [flowers dark blue to purple and keel distally yellow], chasmogamous and, sometimes, cleistogamous, (2–)2.5–3.5 mm; sepals deciduous, rarely subpersistent, glabrous; wings deciduous, rarely subpersistent, 1.5–3 mm, glabrous or proximally sparsely ciliate; keel entire, ± 3-lobed, glabrous; stamens 6[–8] in chasmogamous flowers, divided into 2 groups by central tuft of hairs, fewer in cleistogamous flowers; ovary 1-loculed [2-loculed], or appearing so. Fruits samaroid [drupes], indehiscent, margins winged, sparsely pubescent or glabrate. Seeds glabrous, not arillate.

Distribution

sw United States, Mexico, Central America, South America.

Discussion

Species ca. 180 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Monnina wrightii