Perennial plants growing to about a foot and a half high and spreading about 2’. Yellow pea flowers occur ins spring followed by small legume pods. This is the most xerophytic of the Acmispon species in Arizona, forming rounded clumps with brittle stems; like other species in this genera it is known to hybridize.

Grow in full to part sun, moderate water with good drainage, hardy to 0° F. May go semi-dormant in summer. Occasionally prune out dead growth.

Larval food plant for the acmon blue (Icaricia acmon), the Southwestern Azure (Celastrina echo ssp. cinerea) and the funereal duskywing (Erynnis funeralis). This plant belongs to a group of legumes that several species of native bees specialize on for nectar and pollen.

Other species of Acmispon are used both internally and externally as medicine and a few are used as greens.

This plant is also known as Lotus rigidus and Ottleya rigida. Acmispon comes from the Greek acme for point or hook, while rigidus means rigid.

Found on sandy, gravelly, or clayey soils often along washes and on rocky hillsides below 5,500 ft. in southern Utah, Nevada, Arizona, southeastern California; south into Baja California.

Photo by wirich on iNaturalist