Plants perennial, (10–)15–35(–40) cm. Stems usually ascend­ing, rarely prostrate. Leaves 3–10(–14) cm; leaflets (11–)15–21(or 23), blades oblong-oblanceolate, obovate, rhombic-obovate, elliptic, or ovate-cuneate, 4–20 mm, apex truncate-emarginate. Peduncles (1.5–)2.5–8.5 cm. Racemes ± densely becom­ing shortly (9–)12–24-flowered, short and com­pact in fruit; axis not or little elongating, 1–4(–6) cm in fruit. Flowers (12.6–)14.5–19 mm; calyx 7–10.4 mm, tube (5.1–)5.5–8 mm, lobes 1.5–3.2 mm; corolla pink-purple. Legumes green, purple- or red-tinged, or brightly mottled, slightly incurved, mostly plumply ovoid or subglobose, (10–)14–27(–30) × (6.5–)8–18 mm, semi­bilocular, stiffly papery or leathery, glabrous; beak well-defined, triangular or deltoid, (3–)4–10 mm, unilocular or bilocular. Seeds 28–35. 2n = 22.

Phenology: Flowering Mar–Jun(–Aug).
Habitat: Yucca-grasslands, pinyon-juniper forests, other xeric communities.
Elevation: 1400–2300 m.

Distribution

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Ariz., Colo., N.Mex.

Discussion

Variety diphysus is widespread, ranging across the northern parts of Arizona and New Mexico, extending northward into western Colorado. D. Isely (1998) rec­ognized var. macdougalii, here considered a form with diminutive fruits, from the San Francisco Peaks area of Arizona.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.