Plant: Perennial, unarmed, gland-dotted, glabrous to ± sparsely hairy; rhizomes or roots (or both) woody; stem erect, < 7.5 dm, green or yellow toward base Leaves: palmately compound, cauline; stipules free; petiole 9-21 mm; leaflets 3-5, 17-33 mm, linear to oblanceolate INFLORESCENCE: raceme, axillary, with 1 deciduous bract and 1-3 flowers per node Flowers: 4-7 mm, pedicelled; calyx 2-2.5 mm, flaring back, tearing along 1 lateral sinus in fruit; petals white to purple-blue; 9 filaments fused, 1 less so or free; ovary glabrous to hairy, ovule 1, style tip bent, stigma head-like Fruit: legume, 4-6 mm, indehiscent, ± spheric, papillate-glandular to glandular, ± hairy; Seed 4-5 mm, smooth, shiny, elliptic to round in outline Misc: Alluvial plains, sand; < 2500 m.; May-Jul