Pediomelum castoreum

Plant: Perennial, unarmed, gland-dotted; hairs, stalked glands, or both; roots deep, woody, enlarged near ground surface; stem: main axis erect, nearly 0 to short; branches short, decumbent to ascending, sometimes underground Leaves: ± palmately compound, ± basal (or cauline at branch tips); stipules at base of plant fused, those above free, 5-13.5 mm; petiole 6.8-15 cm; leaflets 5-6, 25-42 mm, elliptic to oblanceolate INFLORESCENCE: raceme with 1 bract; bract 3.5-8 mm; 2-3 flowers per node Flowers: 9-13 mm; calyx 10-12 mm, calyx base swollen on top, tube enlarging in fruit; corolla at least partly blue to purple; banner 9-13 mm; 9 filaments fused, 1 less so or free; ovary ± hairy, ovule 1, style tip curved to bent, stigma head-like Fruit: legume, transversely dehiscent, beaked, hairy, ovate to elliptic in outline; body 6-8 mm; beak 8-11 mm, straight to curved, triangular; Seed 6 mm, reniform, ridged, gray Misc: Open areas, roadcuts; < 1750 m.; Apr-May