Low growing in small tufts of many short stems, leaves are compound, stems and leaves covered with long silky hairs; old leaf bases are persistent; flowers with a conspicuous banner petal in contrast to the reduced keel and wing petals.
Plants short stemmed; flowers distinctive, large purple to white banner petals, wing and keel petals much reduced, usually vibrant purple; leaves and stems very hairy, hairs not attached at the middle, leaflets 3 to 9; fruit pods shaggy haired.
Habitat
Found in rocky areas on mesas, most common in pinyon juniper woodlands.
Flower Characteristics
Bilateral, arranged on short stalks along a central stem, 3 to 8 flowered, banner petals are conspicuous, 3/4 to 1-1/4 inches long and 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, much larger than the wing and keel petals.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves 3/4 to 5 inches long, 3 to 15 leaflets, 1/4 to 3/4 inch long, with acute to blunt tips sometimes notched; plant without stems (acaulescent) or short-stemmed; leaves and stems are covered with long silky, partly spreading hairs.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Spreading (almost horizontal), sessile (attached directly to the stems), ovate and inflated legumes, 1/2 to 1-1/4 inches long and 1/4 to 12 inches wide, each end tapering to a point, 1 chamber, surfaces densely woolly. White hairs 1/16 to 1/4 inch long.