General:
Perennial herb from a woody stem-base; stems several, slender, tufted, decumbent to erect, 20-45 cm tall, silky and with some longer ascending hairs.

Leaves:
Mostly basal with stalks 10-16 cm long, a few alternate along the stem, palmately compound; leaflets 6 to 10, oblanceolate, pointed at the tip, 1-5 cm long, 2-7 mm wide, mostly folded, silky on both surfaces.

Flowers:
Inflorescence a terminal raceme, about as long as its stalk, of whorled pea-like flowers; corollas blue, white or lavender, 10-13 mm long, the banner egg-shaped to nearly circular, glabrous, the wings glabrous, rather narrow, the keel fringed with hairs along the upper edges; calyces 2-lipped, the upper lip 2-toothed, cleft for at least 1/2 its length, both lips 5-7 mm long.

Fruits:
Pods, 1-3 cm long, stiff-hairy; seeds 2 to 4.

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Flower Colour:
Blue

Blooming Period:
Early Summer

Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Spring to Fall

Source:  The USDA