Angiosperms: Dicotyledons

Fabaceae
Legume Family

• Stem: perennial; 1 1/2’ to 2 1/2’ tall; branching in the upper two-thirds of the stem; densely hairy.
• Leaves: alternate; palmately compound; three to five leaflets, oval, 1” by 1/2”; leaf stalks 1” long; leaf surfaces white with dense hairs.
• Inflorescence: clusters of several flowers at the nodes on 1” to 3” curving hairy flower stalks from the upper leaf axils; lower flowers blooming first.
• Flowers: corolla dark blue, 1/4” long, inconspicuous; calyx 1/8” long, very hairy; flowering from mid-June to early July.
• Fruits: one-seeded pod develops within the inflated calyx; fruiting begins in late June.
• Habitat: frequent on upland prairies in the western half of Iowa, infrequent elsewhere; often grows in diffuse patches.
• Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library