This perennial is distinguished by its relatively tall, upright herbaceous stems from a slightly woody base; yellowish pea flowers suffused with red found in the leaf axils; nearly stalkless palmately compound leaves. Favored browse for deer.
Woody based perennial; stems above not rigid or woody; stem internodes less than twice the length of the leaves. Flowers yellow or orange, up to 3/4 inch long. Flower stems shorter than the leaves or absent. Leaves digitate, stipules absent.
Habitat
Found in oak and pine forests.
Flower Characteristics
Pea-like yellow flower, up to 3/4 inch long, turning orange or red when pollinated, solitary or in clusters of 2 to 3 in the leaf axils; upper petal is rust colored below and flares backward.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Palmate leaves are divided into 3 to 6 oblong narrow leaflets of differing sizes from 1/4 to 1/2 inch long; rough-hairy.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit is a slender pod about 1 inch long with a rough, hairy surface.
Seeds are pea-like.