When a patch of purple caught my eye among the sagebrushes, I couldn't help but run over to it, my heart pounding fast. Sure enough, it was a new plant for the year, my first sighting of it. I recognized it as a milkvetch and took out my key. Then I groaned. There are 26 milkvetches in this area. I did my best to key it out and match it with photos, and I'm fairly certain this is Newberry's Milkvetch (Astragalus newberryi), in the Pea Family, Fabaceae. 
It was growing near a sagebrush on gravelly soil.
The leaves and calyx are hairy. Some Astragalus species are used for medicinal purposes. Others are called locoweed--so before you try any, you should be an expert at identifying them.
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