Utah Sweetvetch
Hedysarum boreale

Family: Pea (Fabaceae)
AKA: Northern Sweetvetch, Chainpod
Picture taken on: June 15, 2015
Location: Abiquiu Lake, NM
Life Zones: Foothills
Habitat: Canyons, openings

Grows bushy to 2 feet with leaves divided into pale green leaflets. The flowers are pink to pink-purple and upright with long teeth on the calyx. The seedpods are segmented between each seed giving the appearance of a chain.

Western Sweetvetch
Hedysarum occidentale

Family: Pea (Fabaceae)
AKA: Western Chainpod
Picture taken on: July 23, 2019
Location: Gunnison County Road 748, CO
Life Zones: Montane
Habitat: Meadows, woodland openings

Very similar to Utah Sweetvetch but bigger, growing bushy from 2 to 3 feet tall and at higher elevations. Leaves are divided into oval leaflets. The flower head is 4" long with pendant pink to purple flowers which have short teeth on the calyx. It also produces flattened seedpods like a chain.