It is endemic to the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, California, where it grows in woodland and forest habitat.

It is an erect, branching perennial herb growing 30 to 60 centimetres (12 to 24 in) tall.

Each palmate leaf is made up of five to eight fleshy leaflets up to seven centimetres (2.8 in) long.

The inflorescence is a raceme of whorled yellow flowers each about a centimeter in length.

The fruit is a silky-haired legume pod three or four centimetres (1.2 or 1.6 in) long.