Swainsona

Herbs or subshrubs, annual or perennial, glabrous or variously hairy with simple to medifixed hairs; stems few to many, prostrate, decumbent, procumbent or erect. Leaves alternate, imparipinnate, rarely pinnately trifoliolate; leaflets few to many, margins entire; stipules usually triangular, often with a prominent abaxial ridge; stipellae usually absent. Inflorescence a peduncled few-many-flowered axillary raceme; bracts present; bracteoles small. Calyx campanulate; teeth nearly equal, or upper 2 shorter; petals white, yellow, pink, orange or red; standard reniform to nearly orbicular, contracting to a variable claw or tapering, apex notched; wings slightly shorter, often auriculate; keel obtuse, acute or beaked, often upturned or incurved at apex, straight, turned sideways or spirally coiled; stamens diadelphous, of alternating length, upper stamen free, anthers uniform; ovary sessile or stipitate, ovules usually many, style incurved, bearded adaxially, stigma terminal. Pod globular to cylindric, sometimes inflated, dehiscent; aril absent.