1 Leaves unifoliolate; leaves and stems evergreen, overwintering (absent in midsummer); plant conspicuously pubescent.

  2 Banner petal (standard) with a reddish-purple, maroon, or dark purplish-blue central "eyespot", darker than the surrounding part of the banner.

    3 Plants prostrate, branched at or near ground level and the branches decumbent; leaf blades narrowly elliptic, mostly more than 10 cm long and 3-4× as long as wide; pubescence of the stems and leaves long-villous; free portion of stipules evident, usually 30-50 mm long [of se. NC southward to n. FL, west to se. LA]

    3 Plants erect, the main stem erect and usually branched much above ground level forming somewhat woody, suffrutescent to “shrubby” plants; leaf blades elliptic to ovate, mostly 4-9 cm long and from 1.5-2.5× as long as wide; pubescence of the stems and leaves tightly appressed; free portion of stipules absent or rarely present and then < 10 mm long; [of FL Panhandle or peninsula]

      4 Banner petal pale pink with a dark maroon eyespot; leaf blades mostly 5.0-6.5 cm long × 2.5-3.0 cm wide; robust plants averaging 45-60 cm tall; [central peninsular FL, Mount Dora Ridge and Winter Haven Ridge, Orange and Polk counties]

      4 Banner petal light to dark blue with a maroon to purplish-blue eyespot; leaf blades mostly 7.5-9.0 cm long × 3.5-4.5 cm wide; robust plants averaging 60-85 cm tall; 0w. FL peninsula, Franklin County west to Escambia County]

  2 Banner petal (standard) with a white to cream-colored central "eyespot", lighter than the surrounding part of the banner.

        5 Plants erect, the main stem erect and branched much above ground level, forming suffrutescent to somewhat woody "shrubby" plants.

          6 Leaf blades densely silvery-silky appressed pubescent, the hairs totally obscuring the leaf surface; leaves flat or nearly so, mostly 3.5-4.5 cm wide; leaf blade mostly 1.8-2.1× as long as wide

          6 Leaf blades moderately appressed pubescent, the hairs not obscuring the green leaf surface; leaves more or less conduplicate, mostly 2.5-3.2 cm wide; leaf blade mostly 2.4-2.9× as long as wide

        5 Plants mat-forming, the main stems prostrate, branched at or near ground level and the branches mostly decumbent, ascending only at their leafy tips.

             7 Plants forming relatively small clumps, 25-80 cm in diameter; leaf petioles mostly 6-8 cm long; leaf blade length:width ratio mostly over 3:1, often 4:1; free portion of stipules mostly 10-16 mm long; [of se. NC south to Panhandle FL, west to s. MS]

             7 Plants forming relatively large clumps, often 90-130 cm or more in diameter; leaf petioles mostly 3-6 cm long; leaf blade length:width ratio mostly 2:1 to 3:1; free portion of stipules mostly 17-25 mm long; [of FL peninsula]

               8 Plants with dense, short, appressed pubescence, the green surface of the leaves evident; leaf petioles mostly over 5 cm long; mature legumes mostly 2-3 cm long, 6-8 mm wide; [nw. FL peninsula, Brooksville Ridge and Sumter Upland, of Citrus, Sumter, Hernando, and Pasco counties]

               8 Plants with dense, spreading whitish-villous pubescence, the leaf surface mostly obscured; leaf petioles mostly 3-4 cm long; mature legumes mostly 3.5-4.5 cm long, 10-12 mm wide; [wc. FL peninsula, Hillsborough, Manatee, Hardee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties]

1 Leaves palmately compound; leaves and stems deciduous, dying back in winter; plant inconspicuously pubescent.

                 9 Corolla yellow; plant annual; [very rare waif from horticultural use]

                 9 Corolla blue, lavender, or pinkish; plant annual or perennial; [native or non-native].

                   10 Leaflets 5-9, linear, 5-12× as long as wide; plant annual; [rare waifs from horticultural use].

                     11 Plant 0.5-4 dm tall

                   10 Leaflets 5-17, oblanceolate, 3-5× as long as wide; plant annual or perennial; [native or non-native].

                       12 Annuals; plants 1.5-4 dm tall; [mainly LA and TX, also sw. AR, s. OK, and introduced in ne. FL]].

                          13 Wing petals inflated; corollas pale blue-violet; calyx hairs drying dingy yellowish-gray or brown; legumes yellowish grey- or brown-villous

                          13 Wing petals flat; corollas dark blue (rarely white); calyx hairs silvery; legumes white silky-villous

                       12 Perennials; plants (1-) 2-12 (-15) dm tall.

                            14 Perennials from a woody crown, plants solitary; stipules 5-80 mm long; [non-native]

                              15 Corollas 11-21 mm long; bracts (subtending flowers) 16-19 mm long

                              15 Corollas 9-15 mm long; bracts 7-11 mm long

                            14 Perennials from rhizomes, plants patch-forming; stipules 4-12 mm long; [native].

                                16 Stem short; leaves clustered, nearly whorled; leaflets narrow, about 4× as long as wide; racemes long exserted; flowers small; [plants of e. GA southward and westward]

                                16 Stem elongate; leaves alternate; leaflets broad, about 3× as long as wide; racemes only moderately exserted; flowers large; [plants of n. SC northward]