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 Flowers Tr 372Sue Smith |  Flowers Tr 372Sue Smith |  Leaf Aspen Creek TrSue Smith |  Leaf attachment Aspen Creek TrSue Smith |  Plant - summer Aspen Creek TrSue Smith |  Plant - spring Tr 372Sue Smith |
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Origin:
Native
Life Cycle:
Perennial Similar Species: Thermopsis spp.
General Desc:
Stems woody below, or from woody crown; erect, perennial stems are less than 39 inches tall, smooth or sparsely hairy.
Identification notes: Rhizomatous, perennial with yellow pea-like flowers in terminal spike-like short-branched flower heads; seed pods are spreading and slightly curved; stipules (leafy growths) at the base of the leaf stalks are relatively wide, and oval in outline.
Height:
To 39 inches
Habitat Description: Mostly wooded areas in sunny or partly shaded locations in pine forests.
Plant Communities:
Montane Conifer Forest
Elevation: 6000 - 9500 feet
Color:
Yellow or orange
Shape:
Irregular in elongated clusters
Tubular:
Y
Flowering Period:
Apr - Jul
Description:
Flower bracts 5-lobed, smooth; flowers have a typical pea-shape, petals yellow, banner petal broadly rounded, wing petals narrow lobe-shaped to lance-shaped and broadest above the middle and tapering toward the base.
Leaf Color:
Green
Leaf Type:
Compound
Leaf Shape:
Round or oval
Leaf Margin:
Smooth
Leaf Attachment:
Alternate
Leaves Clasp:
N
Hairs:
No
Spines:
N
Leaf Description:
Leaves trifoliate, leaflets often folded slightly upwards and have very fine hairs along the edge.
Fruit Color: Green
Fruit Type: Pod
Fruit Notes: Pods have one compartment, are smooth to hairy and slightly curved. They open at maturity with typically 3 to 10 seeds. Seed pods are slightly curved, hairy and terminate in a curved spike.
Seed Notes: Oval to rounded in outline, seed surface smooth, seeds olive, brown, or black.
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