Plants cespitose, appearing acau­lescent. Leaves 3–28 cm; stip­ules membranous, stramineous, silky-pilose abaxially; leaflets fasciculate on rachis in 7–15 fascicles (32–70 leaflets), rarely with few verticillate, blades narrowly lanceolate, 4–25 × 2–6 mm, apex usually acute, rarely obtuse, surfaces villous. Peduncles 9–29(–36) cm, axis 3–16 cm in fruit, pilose; bract narrowly lanceolate, pilose. Racemes 9–35-flowered. Calyces cylindric, long-villous, hairs white; tube 5–6.5 mm, lobes 1.5–4(–6) mm. Corollas usually pink-purple, sometimes creamy white, 12–16 mm. Legumes ascending, minutely stipitate, ovoid to ovoid-oblong, 10–17 × 3–5 mm, subunilocular, both sutures sulcate, villous. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Meadows, river banks, prairies, parklands.
Elevation: 300–4400 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Alta., B.C., Man., N.W.T., Ont., Sask., Yukon, Alaska, Colo., Minn., Mont., N.Mex., N.Dak., Wyo.

Discussion

Oxytropis splendens is readily identifiable by the combination of its copiously villous vesture, fasciculate leaflets, and petals that are short relative to calyx length. In the Alberta Rockies, intermediates between this species and phases of O. campestris vars. davisii and spicata, and perhaps also of var. cusickii, apparently occur. Materials from near James Bay, Ontario, appear to be intermediate between O. campestris var. johannensis and O. splendens in that they have less copious pubescence, a tendency for fasciculate leaflets, and ratio of petal length to calyx length that is intermediate between those of O. campestris var. johannensis and O. splendens.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.