Herbs, 11-40 cm tall, acaulescent, from a multiheaded caudex, tufted, with appressed white and yellow trichomes or with some long spreading trichomes. Stipules ovate-lanceolate, membranous, with appressed dense yellow elongate trichomes, connate to middle, apex subulate-acuminate. Leaves (5-)10-30 cm; leaflets verticillate, in 12-16(-50) whorls, 4-8 blades per whorl, arranged on opposite sides of rachis; leaflet blades linear, oblong, or lanceolate, 3-15 × 1-3 mm, both surfaces with dense long trichomes, base rounded, apex acuminate. Racemes compact, many flowered; peduncle 8-17 cm, shorter than to ca. 1.5 × as long as leaves, covered with spreading long thin trichomes; bracts lanceolate, 0.8-1.5 cm, with long trichomes. Flowers ascending. Calyx tubular, 1.1-1.4(-1.6) cm, with long trichomes; lobes lanceolate, 3.5-4.5 mm, both surfaces with trichomes. Corolla pale purple drying bluish; standard lamina oblong and 1.8-2.5 cm, apex rounded to emarginate; wings 1.5-2 cm, apex acute; keel 1.2-2 cm, beak (1.5-)1.8-3.8 mm. Legume erect-ascending, substipitate; body ovoid-oblong, 10-16 × 3-5 mm, leathery, ± 2-locular, with dense long trichomes, beak 5-7 mm. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jul-Aug. 2n = 16.
Hillsides, grasslands, rocky mountain slopes, prairies, sandy areas, Betula forest margins; at elevations from 200-2,600 metres. Sandy pine forests, southern slopes, dry meadows.
Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.
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