Japan Flora: Erect or ascending herb, woody at base, 70-120 cm. high; leaves petioled, the leaflets usually elliptic or obovate, 3 cm. long, 15-20 mm. wide, obtuse to rounded, often retuse, glabrous above, short-pilose beneath; racemes axillary, sessile or nearly so, short, usually not exceeding the leaves, the bracts narrowly ovate, acute, 1-nerved, the bracteoles similar, rather narrow; flowers 10-15 mm. Jong, rose-purple; calyx-teeth longer than the tube, 1-nerved, spine-tipped; legumes nearly orbicular, beaked, white appressed-pilose, 6-7 mm. long, about 5 mm. wide. Aug.-Oct. Meadows and grassy places in hills and in low mountains.

Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu; common. Korea and China.

var. kawachiana (Nakai) Ohwi. Hairs of branches and racemes spread­ing. Occurs with the typical phase; rare.