A N F Keys
1 Shrubs appearing leafless, having wandlike, photosynthetic stems; leaves short-lived and 1-foliolate (simple), 10−30(−41) × 1−3(−4) mm; calyx bilateral and deeply cleft on 1 side; corolla bright yellow, banner 19−25 × 17−23 mm .. Spartium junceum [pics]
1' Plants not appearing leafless during growing season; leaves compound (except phyllodes of Acacia)
2 Leaves 2-pinnately compound
3 Flowers somewhat bilaterally symmetric with 5 showy yellow petals, stamens 10 and unequal
4 Shrubs conspicuously glandular-hairy with heads aging dark red; lacking stipular spines; blades feathery, having 7−13 primary leaflets; bractlet subtending pedicel conspicuous and hiding flower bud; filaments long-exserted, 70−100 mm long and glossy vivid to strong red; legumes dehiscent by 2 twisting values, initially flat oblong to hatchet-shaped, 60−120 mm long .. Caesalpinia gilliesii [pics]
4' Small trees not glandular-hairy; with stipular spines; blades with persistent, pendent to drooping, ribbonlike rachillas of primary leaflets with or without secondary leaflets; bractlet subtending pedicel inconspicuous, 1 mm long; filaments 7−10 mm long, green aging red; legumes ± indehiscent or tardily dehiscent, fusiform (constricted between seeds), 35−60(−100) mm long .. Parkinsonia aculeata [pics]
3' Flowers radially symmetric with comparatively small perianth and showy filaments, stamens > 10
5 Petiole with an oval extrafloral nectary 3 mm long at midpoint; inflorescence axillary and cylindric, 40−45 × ca. 25 mm; stamens fused at bases, filaments 10−12 mm long .. Albizia lophantha
5' Petiole extrafloral nectaries not as above; inflorescence a racemelike array of several spheric heads 6−10 mm diameter; stamens free, filaments 3−4 mm long .. Acacia (part)
2' Leaves not 2-pinnately compound or if 2-compound leaves plant also with "simple" leaves (phyllodes)
6 Leaf a flattened petiole modified as a "simple" blade (phyllode) with a gland on the margin above the pulvinus; flowers in dense, headlike, cylindric to spheric spikes or racemes with yellow to yellowish, radially symmetric flowers .. Acacia (part)
6' Leaves compound; flowers bilaterally symmetric
7 Leaves with tendrils
8 Style pubescent on 1 side .. Lathyrus
8' Style pubescent in a ring below stigma .. Vicia
7' Leaves without tendrils
9 Leaves mostly or exclusively 3-foliolate
10 Shrubs or subshrubs with photosynthetic stems
11 Shoots with rigid, sharp-tipped stems; flowers deep rose to magenta, 14−16 mm across; stamens 10 in 2 whorls and free essentially to base .. Pickeringia montana var. montana [pics]
11' Shoots not spinescent; flowers yellow; stamens 10 with filaments mostly fused
12 Shoots sparsely leaved, ± short-strigose; flowers ca. 5 mm across; calyx 5-lobed; filament sheet of 9 fused stamens and 1 free stamen .. Acmispon glaber [pics]
12' Shoots clothed with evergreen leaves, silky-hairy; flowers ca. 10 mm across; calyx 3-lobed; filament column of 10 fused stamens with free portions alternating long and short .. Genista monspessulana [pics]
10' Herbs
13 Sprawling and twining perennial vine; leaflet subtended by stipel; raceme condensed with twin, purplish pink to deep rose and dark purple flowers at each node; banner with a pair of flaps below midpoint; style with brushlike hairs capped with a purplish stigma .. Dipogon lignosus [pics]
13' Plant not a vine; leaflets lacking stipels; banner and style not as above
14 Inflorescence with dark hairs and white hairs
15 Foliage short-strigose with white hairs and strigose with longer red hairs; involucre discontinuous of 2 distichous bracts each subtending 2 or 3 flowers, unequally lobed and aging with mostly red hairs; legumes tadpolelike with stylar beak protruding from the calyx and bristles at top of seed chamber .. Bituminaria bituminosa [pics]
15' Foliage soft-hairy and gland-dotted throughout, and mildly fragrant; involucre lacking, bractlet subtending flower unlobed; legumes not tadpolelike
16 Tall riparian herb with long, wandlike stems dying back to woody caudex; flowers violet or purplish; calyx lobes unequal, the lower lobe ≥ corolla .. Hoita macrostachya [pics]
16' Colonial, stolon-bearing herb growing in humus-rich soil of deep shade; flowers mostly creamy white to ivory; calyx lobes subequal and < corolla .. Rupertia physodes [pics]
14' Inflorescence with only 1 type of hairs
17 Leaflets entire; inflorescence umbel-like on peduncle >> leaf, 3−6(−8)-flowered; flowers bright yellow; legumes dehiscent by 2 twisting valves, 15−25(−35) mm long .. Lotus corniculatus [pics]
17' Leaflets having at least some lateral veins ending in teeth; inflorescence a raceme or spike
18 Inflorescence terminal, headlike, having flowers in 1 or more conspicuous whorls .. Trifolium
18' Inflorescence typically axillary (also terminal in Medicago sativa)
19 Legumes several-seeded, curved or strongly coiled .. Medicago
19' Legumes 1-seeded, ovoid to ellipsoid and neither curved nor coiled .. Melilotus
9' Leaves typically with 4+ leaflets
20 Leaves palmately compound; stamens 10 all fused into column with free portions alternating long and short .. Lupinus
20' Leaves 1-pinnately compound
21 Trees with multiple trunks; leaves 120−350 mm long, on older stems at some nodes having pairs of stipular spines; racemes pendent with 25−50, sweetly fragrant, white to creamy white flowers (sometimes blushed light pink); legumes strongly flattened with stiffly papery valves .. Robinia pseudoacacia [pics]
21' Perennial herbs (shrublike) or annuals; stipular spines never present; inflorescence not pendent; legumes neither strongly flattened nor with stiffly papery valves
22 Leaflets gland-dotted
23 Shrubs; leaflets elliptic or oblong to narrowly ovate, 10−25(−40) × 4−20 mm, with threadlike stipel at base and sessile gland at tip; racemes densely flowered; petals 1, banner 4−6 mm long, burgundy; stamens 10 fused at base into short tube .. Amorpha californica var. californica [pics]
23' Thicket-forming perennial herb (appearing shrublike); leaflets lanceolate to narrowly ovate or elliptic, (15−)28−53 × 12−21 mm, lacking stipels and having sharp point at tip, smelling like licorice and viscid; racemes interrupted with spaces between clusters of flowers; petals 5, papilionaceous, banner 10−12.5 mm long, white with pale lavender; stamens 10 with 9 fused as filament sheet .. Glycyrrhiza lepidota [pics]
22' Leaflets not gland-dotted
24 Stipules ± acuminate to awl-shaped, > 1.5 mm long; leaflets 8+, often ± paired along rachis and symmetric; inflorescence a raceme
25 Evergreen shrubs; flowers slightly bilaterally symmetric, 15−18 mm across; sepals 5(−6), distinctly unequal; petals subequal, wide-spreading, and clawed, bright yellow; stamens free .. Senna
25' Annuals or deciduous perennials; flowers strongly bilaterally symmetric, < 10 mm across; calyx 5-lobed; petals papilionaceous, banner not clawed, purplish, lilac, cream, ivory, or pale greenish white to light greenish yellow or light yellow; stamens with 9 fused as filament sheet .. Astragalus
24' Stipules glandlike, reddish, and minute; leaflets mostly 3−9, unevenly positioned and asymmetric; inflorescence an axillary umbel or flowers solitary, flowers usually bright to light yellow sometimes aging reddish .. Acmispon
1 Canopy leaves exclusively even-2-pinnately compound, with 9−24 pairs of primary leaflets and a nectary at each pair junction; secondary leaflets 2−4(−5) × 0.6−0.7 mm; heads many, spheric, 6−8 mm across .. Acacia dealbata [pics]
1' Canopy leaves exclusively or mostly simple (= phyllodes)
2 Inflorescence of cylindric spikes 12−40 × 5 mm; gland on phyllode 4−5 mm from pulvinus; calyx 4-lobed .. Acacia longifolia [pics]
2' Inflorescence of spheric, headlike spikes mostly in axillary, racemelike or paniclelike clusters; calyx 5-lobed
3 Phyllode blades 1-veined from base
4 Phyllodes linear-lanceolate to oblanceolate-linear, (30−)60−195 × 3−15 mm, gland 5−10 mm from pulvinus; inflorescence with 3−30 heads, heads 4.5−6 mm across, light yellow .. Acacia retinodes [pics]
4' Phyllodes narrowly elliptic to narrowly lanceolate or narrowly oblanceolate, 80−310 × 9−21 mm, gland 2−3 mm from pulvinus; inflorescence of 7−12 heads, heads 14−16 mm across, yellow .. Acacia saligna [pics]
3' Phyllode blades 2−5-veined from base
5 Phyllodes 45−90 × 6−12 mm, faintly 3-veined, glabrous, gland touching pulvinus; heads 2−8 in pairs, 5−6 mm across, light yellow .. Acacia cyclops [pics]
5' Phyllodes 90−140 × 10−33 mm, prominently veined, densely short-hairy, gland 2−4 mm from pulvinus; heads 1−4, ± 10 mm across, whitish except with yellow anthers; often with some even-2-pinnately compound leaves having a small gland on upper side of petiole several mm above pulvinus .. Acacia melanoxylon [pics]
1 Annuals
2 Leaves typically 3-foliolate; corolla whitish tinged rose or with some yellow .. Acmispon americanus var. americanus [pics]
2' Leaves mostly with 4 or more leaflets; corolla never whitish
3 Flowers typically 1(2) per axil
4 Leaflets 4−9 on petiole 0.5−2.5 mm long with blades 0.7−2.5 mm wide; flowers 4.5−5 mm across; banner 8−11.5 mm long .. Acmispon strigosus [pics]
4' Leaflets 3−6 on petiole < 0.5 mm long with blades 2.2−4(−6) mm wide; flowers ± 2 mm across; banner ± 4 mm long .. Acmispon wrangelianus [pics]
3' Flowers typically 2−5 per axil
5 Bract at top of peduncle leaflike, 1−3-foliolate; flowers showy, 4.5−5 mm across; calyx 3.5−4 mm long; banner 6.7−7.8 mm long; legume dehiscent, 10−12-seeded .. Acmispon maritimus var. maritimus [pics]
5' Bract at top of peduncle absent; flowers small, 1.5 mm across; calyx 2 mm long; banner 3−3.5 mm long; legume indehiscent, 1(−2)-seeded with 2 sharp bends .. Acmispon micranthus [pics]
1' Perennials
6 Shoots silvery gray, densely tomentose; leaflets 3−5(−7); umbels on short peduncles from axils, 4−8-flowered; legume indehiscent, 1(−2)-seeded, 4.8−7 mm long .. Acmispon argophyllus var. argophyllus [pics]
6' Shoots with spaced hairs and stems ± green and photosynthetic; inflorescence on long peduncle
7 Leaves 3-foliolate, ± short-strigose; panicle of 2−5(−7)-flowered umbels; flowers (6−)8−11 mm long; legume indehiscent, 1−2(−3)-seeded, 10−15 mm long .. Acmispon glaber [pics]
7' Leaves (3−)5−9-foliolate, mostly villous to short-villous; axillary umbels 5−9-flowered; flowers 15−20 mm long; legume dehiscent, to 20-seeded, 30−60 mm long .. Acmispon grandiflorus var. grandiflorus [pics]
1 Annuals, mostly < 30 cm tall; flowers 2.5−6 mm long; legume breaking into 2 1-seeded segments (2-chambered)
2 Leaflets in 5−8 pairs along a rachis 20−40 mm long, elliptic to lanceolate or oblanceolate with upper surface glabrous; raceme 5−25-flowered, mostly white-strigose on rachis, bractlets, and pedicels; pedicels erect later ascending; stamens 3.4−4.5 mm long; legumes veiny ridged, inconspicuously short-strigose .. Astragalus didymocarpus var. didymocarpus [pics]
2' Leaflets in 4−6 pairs along a rachis 15−16 mm long, narrowly heart-shaped with upper surface having ascending hairs except along midrib; raceme 4−10-flowered having mostly dark red to blackish hairs on rachis, bractlets, and pedicels; pedicels spreading aging reflexed; stamens 1.8−2 mm long; legumes not veiny ridged, conspicuously villous .. Astragalus gambelianus [pics]
1' Perennials, > 30 cm tall; flowers 7−15 mm long; legumes with more than 2 mature or aborted seeds per chamber
3 Mature stems densely covered with white hairs; legume lacking a sralk (stipe) at the end of pedicel
4 Leaf with petiole to 25 mm long, peduncles 35−85 mm long; petals reddish purple to purple fading to dull lilac; legumes 2-chambered .. Astragalus brauntonii [pics]
4' Leaf with short petiole (< 6 mm long), peduncles 15−22 mm long; petals light green and yellowish maturing cream; legumes 1-chambered .. Astragalus pycnostachyus var. lanosissimus [pics]
3' Mature stems strigose to glabrescent; legume pendent on stalk (stipe) at least 5 mm longer than pedicel
5 Petals light greenish yellow to light yellow; legumes flat, oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic, 22−36 × 5.5−7 mm, dehiscent .. Astragalus antiselli [pics]
5' Petals cream to ivory or pale greenish white; legumes conspicuously inflated, boat-shaped, (13−)17−32 × 8−16 mm, indehiscent .. Astragalus trichopodus var. lonchus [pics]
1 Shoots with ± cylindric axes (lacking wings), leaves with 8−12 leaflets, having most leaflet blades < 50 mm long; flowers < 17 mm across with banner 15−20 mm long and wide .. Lathyrus vestitus var. vestitus [pics]
1' Shoots with conspicuously winged axes, leaves mostly with only 2 leaflets, having most leaflet blades > 50 mm long; flowers 17−35 mm across with banner 21+ mm long and wide
2 Annual; foliage pubescent and with short glandular hairs, blades of leaflets broadly elliptic to ovate or rhombic, 24−105 × 12−75 mm, having 3−12 leaflets modified as tendrils; racemes (1−)2−4-flowered, flowers strongly fragrant; calyx tube 6−8 mm long and lobes 6−9 mm long; petals of a flower distinctly 2-colored (all white); legumes 50−60(−75) × 7−11 mm; seeds spheroid, 5.5−6 mm long .. Lathyrus odoratus [pics]
2' Perennial herb; foliage glabrous, blades of leaflets oblanceolate to elliptic, 30−90 × 9−31 mm, having 1−7 leaflets modified as tendrils; racemes (4−)9−13-flowered, flowers not fragrant; calyx tube 5−6 mm long and lobes to 6 mm long; petals of a flower ± 1-colored, dark to intermediate reddish purple (all white); legumes 70−90 × 6−7 mm; seeds subspheroid to barrel-shaped, 3.5−5 mm long .. Lathyrus latifolius [pics]
1 Taprooted annuals
2 Shoots and inflorescence axes hirsute with long, light brown stinging hairs having blisterlike bases (pustulate); flowers mostly helically alternate and not clustered into pseudowhorls along raceme; banner strong purple with lighter margins aging darker and more violet .. Lupinus hirsutissimus [pics]
2' Shoots and inflorescences lacking stinging hairs
3 Flowers arranged in well-defined whorls of 6−7, having conspicuous bractlets fused around node and reflexed in fruit; banner light purple in late bud becoming very pale purple (white); legumes 2-seeded, valves short and cupped, never twisting .. Lupinus microcarpus var. microcarpus [pics]
3' Flowers not in well-defined whorls with persistent, fused bractlets, having flowers either alternate or some in clusters or pseudowhorls
4 Flowers typically < 4 mm across
5 Leaflets mostly 7−9; stipules 3−5 mm long above winged base; pedicels at anthesis 1.5−3.3 mm long; calyx tube 1−1.5 mm long; banner obovate, 4.3−5.5(−8) × 2.8−3.6(−4) mm, violet-blue (pink, white); upper margin of keel limb ciliate above midpoint; legumes 12−20 mm long .. Lupinus bicolor [pics]
5' Leaflets mostly 5−8; stipules 1−3 mm long; pedicels at anthesis to 1.6 mm long; calyx tube 0.6−1 mm long; banner elliptic, 4−4.8 × 2−2.5 mm long, mostly reddish purple; keel glabrous; legumes 8−13 mm long .. Lupinus concinnus var. agardhianus [pics]
4' Flowers > 4.5 mm across
6 Large leaflets 6−12 mm wide; expanded inflorescence with most flowers in pseudowhorls of 4−6 mm; flowers strong violet (blue) with white, lavender, or pink (all white); banner roundish, 13−15 mm; legumes 9−12-seeded, 35−65 × 7−9 mm .. Lupinus succulentus [pics]
6' Large leaflets < 6 mm wide; expanded inflorescence with flowers ± spaced; flowers mostly reddish purple; banner 8.5−12.5 mm long; legumes 5−8-seeded, 15−40 × 4.5−5.5 mm
7 Leaflets truncate to slightly notched at tip, lower surface sparsely strigose; stipules 0.7−2.3 mm long; flowers strictly helically alternate and ± evenly spaced along axis; legumes 25−40 × 5−5.5 mm, valves soft-pubescent; seeds ca. 7 × 5 mm .. Lupinus truncatus [pics]
7' Leaflets acute at tip, lower surface hirsute; stipules 3.5−8 mm long; flowers in loose clusters of 4−6 but never in pseudowhorls; legumes 15−20 × 4.6−5.2 mm, long-hairy; seeds ca. 3 × 2 mm .. Lupinus sparsiflorus [pics]
1' Perennials
8 Shoots essentially herbaceous from belowground
9 Plant often 1-stemmed from woody caudex; blades of leaflets (23−)36−130 × (8−)11−28 mm, upper surface glabrescent at maturity, lower surface sparsely short-strigose; flowers mostly alternate but also in pseudowhorls of 4−5, raceme axis short-strigose; calyx tube 2.2−2.5 mm long; keel ca. 11 mm long, ciliate on upper margin from claw to midpoint .. Lupinus latifolius [pics]
9' Plant several-stemmed from rhizome; blades of leaflets 8−37 × 2.1−10 mm, surfaces weakly sericeous; flowers mostly in oblique pseudowhorls of 4−6, raceme axis long-hairy; calyx tube 1−1.3 mm long; keel ca. 14 mm long, glabrous .. Lupinus formosus var. formosus
8' Shoots partially or entirely woody aboveground, sparsely to densely sericeous; keel ciliate on upper margin from angle to within 2 mm of tip with longer hairs above midpoint
10 Mostly subshrubs, on robust individuals peduncles < 190 mm long, rachis to 250 mm long and pseudowhorls to 30 mm apart; calyx appendages at sinuses ± 0.5 mm long; banner entire or slightly notched at obtuse tip, generally hairy on back; wings asymmetrically obovate, 12−14+ × 6.5−8.5 mm; ovary at anthesis 3.5−5.5 mm long .. Lupinus excubitus var. hallii [pics]
10' Mostly shrubs; on robust individuals peduncles often 200−400+ mm long, rachis to 480 mm long with some pseudowhorls to 50 mm apart; calyx appendages at sinuses 0.7−2.5 mm long; banner short-toothed at rounded tip, generally not hairy on back; wings semi-ovate, 13.3−16 × 6−6.5 mm; ovary at anthesis 7−9 mm long .. Lupinus longifolius [pics]
NB. The perennial lupines in range are not well understood. Databases include collections from in range that have been identified as Lupinus albifrons Benth. and L. chamissonis Eschsch., but our examination of herbarium materials casts doubt on those determinations. Plants formerly treated as populations of L. paynei Davids. occur in the Simi Hills, if this taxon is recognized. Additionally, the evolutionary relationships of the other species in this species complex are imprecisely known, so that the specific boundaries of L. longifolius, L. excubitus, L. formosus, and L. latifolius, and their named varieties, are currently confusing.
Specimens initially identified as L. nanus Benth. were reported as such in previous versions of the manual but had already been corrected to be L. sparsiflorus.
1 Deep-rooted perennial herbs; flowers violet to purple; banner 8−10 mm long; fruits with several coils and lacking prickles, several-seeded .. Medicago sativa [pics]
1' Taprooted annuals; flowers bright yellow; banner typically < 5 mm long
2 Plants typically < 8 cm tall; shoots sericeous aging short-pilose; stipules clasping; raceme 10−42-flowered; petals 1.2−2.5 mm long; legumes with less than 1 full coil (sterile tip), lacking prickles, strongly veined, blackish, 1-seeded .. Medicago lupulina [pics]
2' Plants 10−40 cm tall; shoots inconspicuously strigose aging glabrescent; stipules lobed but not clasping; raceme 3−7-flowered; petals 3−5 mm long; legumes with 2−6 coils, with 2 rows of prickles on coil margins, 4−6-seeded .. Medicago polymorpha [pics]
1 Terminal leaflet at least several mm > lateral leaflets; flowers white, 3.5−5 mm long, banner not clawed; legume brown, typically 3 mm long .. Melilotus albus [pics]
1' Terminal leaflets and lateral leaflets subequal; flowers bright yellow, 2.5−3 mm long, banner short-clawed; legume tannish and papery, 3−5 mm long .. Melilotus indicus [pics]
1 Leaves gray-green and densely short-strigose, leaflets narrow and awl-shaped; raceme with 8−13 flowers .. Senna artemisioides [pics]
1' Leaves green, foul-smelling having conspicuous glandular hairs on the inflorescence, leaflets oblong and 10−20 mm wide; raceme with 15−55 flowers .. Senna didymobotrya [pics]
1 Foliage glabrous or essentially so
2 Flowers and fruits in a raceme with several whorls; corolla not conspicuously inflated
3 Perennial herbs often mat-forming, with stems creeping (stolons) and rooting at nodes; involucre subtending head absent; flowers white to pale pink .. Trifolium repens [pics]
3' Annuals, taprooted, stems not creeping; flowers light purple to reddish purple or pale purple
4 Blades of leaflets 4.7−11 mm wide; involucre absent; calyx lobes bristly short-ciliate and with bristlelike tip (appearing short-dentate when hairs break off); ovary with hairy above midpoint .. Trifolium ciliolatum [pics]
4' Blades of leaflets typically < 5 mm wide; involucre present and conspicuous; calyx lobes glabrous; ovary glabrous
5 Blades of leaflets obovate, 4−8 mm long; raceme with 7−19 flowers in 2−3 whorls; involucre with 5−9 lobes, 2−10 mm across; calyx 4.8−5.5 mm long and petals 6.2−7.5 mm long .. Trifolium variegatum var. variegatum [pics]
5' Blades of leaflets linear to narrowly elliptic, 13−50 mm long; raceme with 22−29 flowers in 3−4 whorls; involucre with 45−50 teeth, 9−14 mm across; calyx 5.6−7 mm long and petals 8.5−9.5 mm long .. Trifolium willdenovii [pics]
2' Flowers and fruits in a spike commonly with 1 lower whorl of sessile flowers + central flowers; corolla (banner) conspicuously inflated in developing fruits
6 Leaves with petioles 13.5−30 mm long and blades of leaflets narrowly oblong or elliptic to oblanceolate and 2−4.3 mm wide; involucre bractlets free or fused to 0.5 mm, 1.8−3.2 mm long; calyx and petals at anthesis to 3.2 mm long .. Trifolium depauperatum var. truncatum [pics]
6' Leaves with petioles 29−90 mm long and blades of leaflets broadly obovate and 5−15.5 mm wide; involucre bractlets fused 0.5−2.5 mm, lobes 5−8.5 mm long; calyx 7−8.5 mm long and petals at anthesis 11−18 mm long .. Trifolium fucatum
1' Foliage noticeably hairy
7 Blades of leaflets entire; involucre of 2 bractlets that most often 1 or 2 leaflike (sometimes including stipules); petals purple-pink .. Trifolium hirtum [pics]
7' Blades of leaflets with teeth; involucre not resembling leaves; petals darker than purple-pink
8 Plants glandular-puberulent (lacking swollen heads), becoming clammy to viscid after collecting; involucre subtending spike wheel-like, 20−25 mm across; calyx (9−)11−13 mm long and corolla 14−18 mm long .. Trifolium obtusiflorum [pics]
8' Plants with only nonglandular hairs; involucre subtending spike absent or present, if present at most 11 mm across
9 Inflorescence a ± cylindric to narrowly conic raceme increasing to 60 mm long in fruit; involucre subtending head absent; calyx villous; petals 10−14 mm long, > calyx, crimson .. Trifolium incarnatum [pics]
9' Inflorescence a hemispheroid to ovoid spike; petals ≤ calyx, light purple to light purplish red or dark purple
10 Headlike spikes 6.5−9 mm across, of 4−5 whorls of flowers; involucre subtending spike cup-shaped, 8−9-lobed, and awn-tipped; calyx 3.8−4.2 mm long, short-serrate on margin; banner 3.5−4.1 mm long, petals not white at tip .. Trifolium microcephalum [pics]
10' Headlike spikes 10−17 mm across, of 5−6 whorls of flowers; involucre subtending spike a vestigial ring of minute teeth; calyx 7.3−8.7 mm long, featherlike; banner 5.7−6.5 mm long, petals white at tip .. Trifolium albopurpureum [pics]
1 Flowers mostly (1−)2 at a node
2 Leaflets typically 6−9 and alternate; stipules lacking nectary; flowers ca. 5.5 mm long borne at the end of a long panicle 45−50 mm long and often exceeding associated leaf; calyx 3−3.5 mm long .. Vicia ludoviciana subsp. ludoviciana [pics]
2' Leaflets 8−12 and mostly in pairs; stipules having nectary on central lobe; flowers > 16 mm long and lacking a peduncle; calyx 10+ mm long
3 Stipules crescent-shaped to semi-circular and jagged, lacking a basal lobe; flower > 20 mm long; calyx > 15 mm long and ratio of lobe to tube length > 1 .. Vicia sativa subsp. sativa [pics]
3' Stipules ovate with basal lobe; flower < 20 mm long; calyx < 15 mm long and ratio of lobe to tube length < 1 .. Vicia sativa subsp. nigra [pics]
1' Flowers on racemes with 3−many flowers
4 Flowers 4−6 mm across; calyx tube 3−4 mm long; banner 6−7 mm wide; claws of keel < 9 mm long; stalk of ovary (stipe) at anthesis 1−3 mm long
5 Upper lobes of calyx 3.5−5 mm long, lower lobes of calyx 4.3−7 mm long; claws of keel 7−8.5 mm long .. Vicia benghalensis [pics]
5' Upper lobes of calyx 0.3−1.1(−2) mm long, lower lobes of calyx 0.8−2.8(−6) mm long; claws of keel 4−5 mm long .. Vicia villosa [pics]
4' Flowers 8+ mm across; calyx tube 4.5−6 mm long; banner 7−12 mm wide; claws of keel 9−10 mm long; stalk of ovary (stipe) at anthesis 3.5−4.5 mm long .. Vicia americana subsp. americana [pics]
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013