Plant: Annual 1-3 dm, sparsely short-hairy when young, becoming glabrous; cotyledons disk-like, persistent

Leaves: basal, palmately compound, generally cauline; petioles 2-12 cm; leaflets 7-9, 10-20 mm, 3-8 mm wide, sometimes obovate, bright green

INFLORESCENCE: raceme, 4-13 cm; flowers spiraled; peduncle 6-15 cm; bracts 2-4 mm, straight, persistent, tips sparsely ciliate; pedicels 3-5 mm

Flowers: with violet odor, 7-10 mm; calyx tips generally glabrous, rarely ciliate, upper lip 3-3.5 mm, rounded or 2-toothed, lower lip 4-5 mm; petals deep blue-purple, banner centrally grooved, sides reflexed, banner spot white or yellow becoming magenta, banner centrally grooved, sides reflexed, wing tips slightly fused, keel generally pointed, glabrous; stamens 10, filaments fused, 5 long with short anthers, 5 short with long anthers; style brushy

Fruit: legume, dehiscent, 1.5-2.5 cm, ± 8 mm wide, oblong, upper suture wavy, densely long-ciliate, sides glabrous or with a few short hairs that become scale-like when dry; Seeds 2-6, wrinkled

Misc: Sandy flats, open areas; < 1600 m.; Apr-May