Americana:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of The Great Plains (FGP) leading to this variety.   plant usually 4-10 dm in length; NOT [stems rarely to 3.5 dm in length] plant vining leaflets ovate or elliptic; NOT [leaflets narrowly linear] (BF) leaflets more than 4 mm wide or over 30 mm long if narrower; NOT [leaflets usually less than 30 mm long and 4 mm or less wide] leaflets thin; NOT [leaflets coriaceous or stiff] leaflet veins branched; NOT [leaflets with conspicuous non-branched veins] tendril with several branches; NOT [tendrils usually non-branched] raceme 5- to 9-flowered (n=7); NOT [raceme mostly 3- to 4(5)-flowered] (FGP)

 

Americana:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF) and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species.   plants perennial; NOT annual plants glabrous or sparsely appressed pubescent; NOT [plants villous with more or less long-spreading pubescence] flowers in a more or less one-sided raceme; NOT [flowers in the upper leaf axils] (BF) racemes NOT 1-sided (FOA) inflorescence in a loose raceme; NOT in a dense raceme flowers many; NOT [flowers 1 or 2 (seldom 4)] inflorescence with 2-9 flowers; NOT with 10-40 flowers

 

Vicia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. herbs; NOT shrubs plants climbing terminal leaflet replaced by a tendril; NOT [terminal leaflet normal] wings of flower coherent with the keel ; NOT [wings of flower free from the keel] style filiform; NOT flattened style bearded at the tip ; NOT [style bearded along the inside]

Leguminosae:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.   herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees] plants terrestrial or semi-aquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating] 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 calyx regular flowers with two floral rings, and with 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 [stamens united into a column] fruit a legume; NOT [fruit a 3-valved capsule]