Leafy, stout stemmed plant with tall flower heads of white to yellow to purple pea-like flowers and palmate leaves.
Perennial. Woody base, densely branched with erect stems. Leaves palmately compound with 5 to 10 leaflets. Flowers along an elongated stalk to 18 inches long, bearing white to yellow to purple pea-like flowers in whorls. Fruit pods have 6 to 10 seeds.
Habitat
Shady to open areas in moist montane coniferous forest.
Flower Characteristics
Flower heads to 18 inches tall, somewhat loosely flowered, flowers 3/4 to 1 inch, upper lip of calyx notched.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves smooth to partly hairy, leaf stalks 2 to 8 inches, leaflets 1 to 3-1/2 inches long, 2 to 8 inches wide wtih stout stems.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Pods hairy and to 1-3/4 inches long.
6 to 10 seeds, about 1/8 inch, mottled dark brown in color.