Crown Vetch
Securigera varia (Coronilla varia)

Family: Pea (Fabaceae)
AKA: Axseed, Purple Crown-Vetch
Photo taken on: June 12, 2009
Location: White Rock, NM
Life Zones: Plains and foothills
Habitat: Dry area, roadsides

Grows to 2 feet with sprawling, angular stems. Leaves are divided into paired leaflets. Flowers are pea-shaped with a pink upper petal and white to pale pink lower petal. It is not native to the US and was planted for revegetation and erosion control but can be very invasive.