Plant: Shrub or tree with stipular spines, canescent Leaves: even-1-pinnate, alternate or clustered; stipular spines sometimes 0 or breaking off, leaving scar, sometimes persisting above leaves and appearing internodal; leaflets 8-19, opposite or subopposite, obovate or elliptic, thick; axis extending beyond leaflets, pointed INFLORESCENCE: raceme, axillary, 2-4-flowered Flowers: corolla 10-12 mm, wings purple, other petals yellow-white to pink; 9 filaments fused, 1 free Fruit: legume, slowly dehiscent, oblong or elliptic, plump, irregularly narrowed between seeds, persistent; seeds 1-3 Misc: Often abundant in washes; < 600 m.; Apr-May References: Shreve and Wiggins 1964.J.C. Hickman, ed. The Jepson Manual.