Scientific Family
Fabaceae
Synonyms
Acmispon rigidus, Hosackia rigida
Other common names
broom deerweed
deer vetch
desert rock pea
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
12 to 36 inches
Riparian
No
Shrub-like, several to many stems that branch from base, ascending to erect, woody at base, pale green, internodes much longer than the leaves. Flowers have banner, wings and keel in clusters of 1 to 3, yellow, suffused with red, purplish with age.
Perennial forms rounded clumps, erect, brittle, rigid stems, woody, internodes 2x the leaf length; leaves of 3 to 5 leaflets, fine, stiff straight hairs pressed to them; flowers yellow, often become reddish or purplish, to 3/4 inch long.
Habitat
Found on sandy, gravelly, or clayey soils often along washes and on rocky hillsides below.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
0
High elevation
5000
Flower Characteristics
Stems 1 to 5 inches long with 1 to 3 flowers each attached by a short stem which is hairy. Flowers yellow, often become reddish, purplish with age, to 3/4 inch long; outermost leaf-like sepals are hairy, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. Petals shorter than sepals.
Flower color
Yellow to reddish, purplish
Flower shape
Irregular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
November
Last bloom month
May
Flower clusters
Rounded
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Stems ascending, clustered, branched, commonly woody at base. Leaves on stem 1/16 to 1/4 inch long have 3 to 5 leaflets with fine, stiff straight hairs pressed to them, oblong to lance-like, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, 1/16 to 1/4 inch wide.
Leaf type
Compound
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Pods narrowly oblong, 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 inches long, 1/4 inch wide, straight, without hairs.
Fruit type
Pod
Fruit color
Light brown
Seeds several to many, often kidney shaped, generally hard, smooth.