Click the number at the start of a key lead to highlight both that lead and its corresponding lead. Click again to show only the two highlighted leads. Click a third time to return to the full key with the selected leads still highlighted.
1 Leaflets > 2, generally 4-12; [native species of various habitats]. |
2 Foliaceous stipules laterally symmetrical, with 2 approximately equal basal lobes; leaves somewhat fleshy; [plants of ocean beaches and dunes]. |
|
3 lower leaflet surface pubescent (notably on new growth) |
2 Foliaceous stipules asymmetrical, oblique at the base, the basal lobe well-developed only on one side. |
4 Leaflets (8-) 10-14 per leaf, generally irregular arrayed; [plants of dry to mesic forests] |
5 Calyx sparsely to densely pubescent; leaves and stems sparsely to densely pubescent; [mainly Great Lakes and n. Midwest, south to the norther edges of our region] |
5 Calyx glabrous; leaves and stems glabrous. |
6 Lateral lobes of the calyx lanceolate, longer than the calyx tube; [west of the Mississippi River, mainly Interior Highlands, but also upper West Gulf Coastal Plain] |
6 Lateral lobes of the calyx linear- triangular, equal to or shorter than the calyx tube; [mainly Appalachian and Piedmont, NJ and PA south to GA and AL] |
4 Leaflets (4-) 6-10 per leaf, generally paired; [plants of various dry or wet habitats]. |
7 Racemes with 5-15 (-20) flowers; corollas white to cream, 10-14 mm long |
7 Racemes with 2-6 (-9) flowers; corollas pink to purple, 15-28 mm long. |
8 Corollas 20-28 mm long; leaflets (4-) 6-10 per leaf; [Great Plainsian, east to c. OK] |
8 Corollas 15-20 mm long; leaflets (4-) 6 per leaf; [northern, south to NC, GA, AL, MO, NE] |
1 Leaflets 0-2; [ exotic species, except L. pusillus]. |
9 Leaflets absent (but with foliaceous stipules) |
|
10 Stems not winged or flanged; corollas 10-15 mm long; flowers 3-10 per inflorescence. |
|
|
10 Stems winged; corollas 6-30 mm long; flowers 1-15 per inflorescence. |
12 Stems with wings 0-1 (-2) mm wide; corolla 6-14 mm long; flowers 1-3 (-4) per raceme. |
13 Legume (in fruit) and ovary (in flower) hirsute with swollen-based hairs; corolla 9-14 mm long |
13 Legume (in fruit) and ovary (in flower) glabrous; corolla 6-9 mm long |
12 Stems with wings 1-3 mm wide; corolla 13-30 mm long; flowers 2-12 per raceme. |
14 Stems hirsute with swollen-based hairs; plant an annual; flowers 2-4 per raceme |
14 Stems glabrate; plant a perennial; flowers (3-) 4-12 per raceme. |
15 Stipules 4-10 mm wide; leaflets 2-5× as long as wide |
15 Stipules 2-3 mm wide; leaflets 6-15× as long as wide |