Herbs caulescent, to 130 cm, glandular, glabrate to pubescent. Stems erect, much branched distally, leaves dispersed along stems; pseudoscapes 0; cata­phylls 4–12 mm, papery, gla­brous. Leaves palmately (1 or)3–5-foliolate, rarely with unifoliolate leaf subtending peduncles; stipules per­sistent to tardily deciduous, linear-lanceolate, (2–)4–5 × 1 mm, glandular, strigose; petiole rarely from swollen pulvinus, 1.5–17(–22) mm; petiolules 1–2.5 mm; leaflet blades elliptic to narrowly oblanceolate, (1–)1.4–3(–4.1) × 0.4–0.8(–1.5) cm, base rounded to attenuate, apex rounded to retuse, often apiculate, surfaces glandular, abaxially strigose, adaxially glabrous. Peduncles 2–9.5 cm, longer than subtending petiole, strigose. Inflorescences persistent, long-ovoid to elongate; rachis 1.5–6 cm, elongating through fruiting, nodes 3–12, 1–3 flowers per node, internodes 1–35 mm; bracts persistent, trullate to lanceolate, 1.5–3(–5) × 0.5–2 mm, glandular, glabrate to strigose. Pedicels 1.5–3 mm. Flowers 5–6 mm; calyx not or only slightly elongating in fruit and not changing shape or becoming gibbous, 2–4 mm, glandular, strigose to glabrate; tube 1–1.5 mm; lobes triangular, abaxial 1.5–2 × 1 mm, adaxial 0.5–1 × 0.5–1 mm; corolla usually dark blue to purple, rarely white, banner usually paler, elliptic to obovate, 4.5–6 × 4.5–6 mm with claw 1–2 mm, wings 6 × 1.5–2.5 mm with claw 1.5–3 mm, keel 3.5–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm with claw 1.5–2 mm; filaments 3.5–4 mm; anthers elliptic, 0.3 mm; ovary glabrous or pubescent apically, style glabrous. Legumes deciduous with calyx and pedicel, ellipsoid, 7–8 × 3–4 mm, glandular, glabrous, beak broad, 1–2.5 mm, well exserted beyond calyx. Seed brown, reniform, 5–6 × 3–4 mm, shiny.

Phenology: Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat: Grasslands, desert scrub, woodlands.
Elevation: 200–2300 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ariz., Colo., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Minn., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.Mex., Okla., S.Dak., Tex., Utah, Wis., Wyo., Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora).

Discussion

Pediomelum tenuiflorum is widespread with morpho­logical gradations across its distribution, especially in leaf and inflorescence size and shape and calyx pubescence. P. A. Rydberg (1919–1920) recognized as many as four separate species based on these differences, which seem to be environmentally influenced. The calyx morphology of P. tenuiflorum resembles that of Ladeania lanceolata in that it does not enlarge through fruiting, but differs by the fruit being persistent on the receptacle and falling with the calyx.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.