Sericea:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.   plants acaulescent stipules adnate to the petioles for half their length; NOT [stipules adnate to the base of the petiole only] leaves with 11-19 leaflets; NOT [leaves with 17-33 leaflets] leaflets all paired or scattered on the rachis; NOT [leaflets mostly fascicled, appearing whorled, few leaflets in pairs] flowers yellowish, ochroleucous, or whitish; NOT [flowers purplish or blue] keel 15-20 mm long; NOT [keel 11-14.5 mm long] pods erect or spreading; NOT [pods pendulous] pods rigid at maturity pods coriaceous; NOT [pods chartaceous]

 

Oxytropis: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus.  herbs; NOT shrubs plants NOT climbing leafy stems usually absent leaves pinnately divided; NOT [leaves palmately divided] NOT [leaflets 5, pinnately arranged (the lower pair basal and resembling stipules)] leaflets more than 3 terminal leaflet normal; NOT [terminal leaflet replaced by a tendril] leaves NOT glandular-dotted inflorescence NOT umbel-like NOT [calyx lobes subulate, much longer than the tube] NOT [flowers pinkish to red or purple] keel with a sharp point at the tip; NOT [keel rounded, obtuse or truncate at tip] fruit a legume; NOT [fruit a loment ] NOT [fruit only slightly longer than wide, with short stout spines, 1-seeded]

Leguminosae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.  herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees] plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic] plants NOT with colored milky juice plants with more than one normal leaf some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal] leaves with stipules flowers with two floral rings calyx regular each petal distinct from the others flowers irregular in shape corolla pea-like; NOT [corolla with one petal spurred or sac-like] stamens usually separate or partly so; NOT [all stamens united in a column] fruit a legume; NOT [fruit a 3-valved capsule]