Deep-rooted perennial with a branched caudex. Stems erect, 30–70 cm. Herbage glabrous to sparsely villous, minutely punctate. Leaves petiolate, odd-pinnate with 15 to 21 narrowly elliptic to oblong leaflets 1–2 cm long with rounded, mucronate tips; stipules brown-hyaline, 5–11 mm long, connate below with deltoid lobes. Inflorescence dense, axillary, bracteate racemes 3–12 cm long with spreading flowers. Flowers papilionaceous, magenta; calyx tube ca. 2 mm long, the narrowly lanceolate lobes 3–5 mm long; banner reflexed, 10–12 mm long, ca. equal to the prominent, prow-shaped keel; wings 3–4 mm long; stamens of lower flowers 9 united, 1 separate, those of upper flowers all united. Fruit 1-seeded, flattened, ovate, veiny, 5–7 mm long (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
POLLINATORS The following animal species have been reported as pollinators of this plant species or its genus where their geographic ranges overlap:
Bombus vagans and
Bombus fervidus (Colla and Dumesh 2010).