Description
Parry's Crazyweed is a low perennial herb with 1-4 leafless stems that are 2-7 cm high and arising from a branched rootcrown. The basal, pinnately compound leaves have 9-19 narrowly elliptic, pointed leaflets that are 3-10 mm long. Membranous appendages, or stipules, are attached to the base of the long petioles. The foliage is covered with long, silky hairs. 1-3 sessile, pea-like, purple flowers are clustered at the tip of the stem. The upper petal of each flower is 7-10 mm long, bent forward, and barely longer than the lateral (wing) petals. The united lower petals, or keel, are shorter and have a prolonged point at their tip. The black-hairy calyx has 5 narrow lobes and is 3/4 the length of the corolla. The ascending, narrowly egg-shaped pods are 15-23 mm long, covered with appressed black hairs, and have a short, pointed beak.
Diagnostic Characteristics
The nipple on the keel petal separate this from species of ASTRAGALUS. O. PODOCARPA and O. CAMPESTRIS VAR CUSICKII may also have as few as 2-3 fruits per stem, but the former has inflated pods, while the latter has light yellow flowers.