Lotiflorus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 

	plants low, 10 cm or less; NOT [plants taller]
	plants caespitose at base, with stems 2-10 cm long, spreading and erect
	NOT [leaves 1-4 cm long, linear to oblanceolate, simple or with 1 or 2 linear leaflets]
	NOT [leaves needle-like]
	leaves with 5-15 leaflets; NOT [leaves usually with a single leaflet, occasionally with 3-5 leaflets], NOT [leaves with 17-25 leaflets]
	leaflets 4-5 times longer than broad; NOT [leaflets about twice as long as broad]
	leaflet ends acute; NOT [leaflet ends rounded], NOT [leaflet ends spine-tipped]
	flowers borne on more or less well developed peduncles; NOT [flowers borne in the crown of the plant]
	flowers 7-10 mm long; NOT [flowers 20-30 mm long]
	flowers yellow to white, often with purple streaks
	pods densely pubescent; NOT [pods glabrous]

Astragalus: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this genus. 

	herbs; NOT [shrubs]
	plants NOT climbing
	leafy stems often present; NOT [leafy stems usually absent]
	leaves pinnate; NOT [leaves palmate]
	leaflets more than 3; NOT [leaflets 3 (rarely 1)]
	the terminal leaflet normal; NOT [the terminal leaflet replaced by a tendril]
	leaflets NOT glandular-dotted
	keel not truncate; NOT [keel mostly truncate]
	keel rounded or obtuse at the tip; NOT [keel with a sharp point at the tip]
	pods NOT segmented or jointed; NOT [pods segmented or jointed, breaking up at maturity]
	NOT [flowers pinkish to red or purple; calyx-lobes subulate, much longer than the tube; fruit only slightly longer than wide, with short, stout spines, 1-seeded]
	NOT [inflorescence umbel-like; flowers yellow; leaflets 5, pinnately arranged (the lower pair basal and resembling stipules)]

Leguminosae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.

	herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]
	plants terrestrial or semi-aquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]
	plants NOT with colored milky juice
	plants with more than one normal leaf
	some or all leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite, whorled, or basal]
	leaves with stipules; NOT [leaves without stipules, or having glands]
	flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others]
	calyx regular; NOT [calyx irregular, some sepals smaller than others]
	flowers irregular in shape; NOT [flowers regular in shape]
	corolla pea-like; NOT [corolla with one petal spurred or sac-like]
	stamens usually separate or partly so, not in a column; NOT [stamens numerous, united into a column]
	fruit a legume; NOT [fruit a 3-valved capsule]