Perennial; stems ±erect, 2-6 dm, thinly pubescent; petioles 2-6 cm; lfls 7-11, oblanceolate, 2-5(-6) cm; racemes erect, arising above the lvs, 1-2(-3) dm, the fls numerous, blue varying to pink or white; lower lip of the cal entire, 6-8 mm, the upper lip half as long; standard 12-16 mm, half as wide; pod pubescent, 3-5 cm; 2n=48, 96. Dry, open woods and clearings; s. Me. to Fla., w. to Minn. and Ind. May, June. Two w. Amer. spp. are casually escaped from cult. in n. New Engl. and adj. Can. L. polyphyllus Lindl. differs in being taller and coarser, to 1 m or more, with 11-17 lfls to 13 cm, and infls 2-4 dm. L. nootkatensis Donn has villous herbage and large fls 1.5-2 cm in racemes 1-3 dm.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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