herbaceous or suffruticose, erect; branches, petioles, and racemes densely hispid, with long, patent, rusty hairs; stipules linear-subulate; leaflets 3–5, linear-lanceolate, acute, glabrous above, pilose beneath; racemes terminal, lax, several flowered; bracteoles lanceolate; calyx deeply cut, its segments lanceolate, nearly as long as corolla; legume sub-sessile, oblong, very hairy. One to two feet high, suffruticose at base, with many herbaceous, slightly branched stems. Pubescence copious, rusty brown, and harsh. Petioles 1–1 1/2 inches long, leaflets as long, often 5 together, 1–2 lines wide, acute at each end. Racemes pedunculate, terminal, 10–15 flowered. Flowers yellow, 3/4 inch long. Legumes 1 1/2 inches long. Var. β. is a more luxuriant and less hairy form, and probably grew in richer, alluvial soil.
