华西棘豆 hua xi ji dou

Oxytropis ningxiaensis C. W. Chang.

Herbs, 20-45 cm tall, caulescent, arising from a multi­headed caudex, subglabrous with sparse trichomes or with ap­pressed dense yellow trichomes. Stems erect or ascending, with 2-4 or more apparent internodes. Stipules ovate-triangular, 6-8 × ca. 3 mm, with sparse trichomes, distinct. Leaves 5-10 cm, (11-)21-31-foliolate; petiole and rachis with spreading yellow trichomes or glabrous; leaflet blades ovate-lanceolate, elliptic, or oblong, 5-14 × (2-)3-5 mm, both surfaces with yellow long trichomes, base rounded, apex acute to obtuse. Racemes rather lax in both flower and fruit, many flowered; peduncle (3-)5-14 cm; bracts narrowly lanceolate, 3-7 mm, with sparse yellow tri­chomes. Calyx campanulate, 7-8 mm, with spreading black tri­chomes; lobes lanceolate, (2-)3-4 mm. Corolla blue to purple; standard 1-1.5 cm, lamina ovate and 8-10 mm wide, apex emarginate; wings 1-1.2(-1.4) cm, lamina elliptic, apex emar­ginate; keel 0.9-1.2 cm, beak 1-1.5 mm. Legume stipitate; stipe ca. 5 mm; body brown, oblong, ellipsoid, or subglobose, (1.7-)2-2.5 × (0.7-)0.8-1 cm, inflated, membranous to sub­leathery, 1-locular, with spreading sparse trichomes, septum 0.5(-0.8) mm wide, adaxial suture deeply grooved, beak very short to 3 mm. Fl. and fr. May-Aug.

● Wastelands, forested valleys, grasslands on hillsides; 2100-3600 m. Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan.