Herbs, 2-12 cm tall, caulescent or less commonly acaulescent, with (0 or)1-7 apparent internodes, from a few-or several-headed caudex, subprostrate, with spreading or retrorse trichomes. Stipules lanceolate, herbaceous, with long trichomes, basally adnate to petiole, apex acute. Leaves 5-20 cm, (15-)21-31(-41)-foliolate; leaflet blades ovate-oblong, ovate, lanceolate-oblong, or lanceolate, 5-25 × 2-8 mm, both surfaces pilose or adaxially glabrous, base rounded, apex acute. Racemes at first dense, becoming lax, 13-30-flowered; peduncle 7-25 cm or sometimes longer, villous-pilose; bracts linear, almost as long as calyx, membranous. Flowers declined. Calyx campanulate, (3-)6-7(-8) mm, with white and black trichomes intermixed; lobes lanceolate, as long as or shorter than tube. Corolla pale bluish purple; standard 8-9 × ca. 5 mm, lamina obovate, apex rounded to emarginate; wings as long as standard, longer than keel, apex rounded; keel 8-9 mm, beak ca. 1 mm. Legume stipitate; stipe 2-4 mm; body oblong-ovoid, 10-20 × 4-5 mm, pendulous, membranous, 1-locular, with spreading long trichomes, apex with a beak. Fl. and fr. Jun-Jul. 2n = 16.
Steppe valleys of mountain rivers up to the timberline. Gravelly slopes, valleys, among shrubs; at elevations from 1,600-3,700 metres.
Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.
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