Amorpha confusa
Amorpha herbacea
savanna false indigo or indigo-bush
clusterspike false indigo
finely longitudinally grooved and ridged, gland-dotted, strigulose to glabrate.
finely longitudinally grooved and ridged, often obscurely gland-dotted, sparsely to densely puberulent, glabrate, or glabrous.
(8–)12–20(–26) cm;
stipules sometimes persistent, linear or setaceous, (1–)1.5–2(–2.5) mm;
petiole (6–)8–15(–20) mm, gland-dotted, puberulent or glabrous;
rachis sparsely gland-dotted, puberulent or glabrous;
leaflets (11–)15–31(–35), stipels acicular or setaceous, 0.8–1.8 mm, petiolule 0.7–1.5(–1.8) mm, gland-dotted, mostly puberulent or glabrous, blade elliptic to oblong or ovate to suborbiculate, (10–)15–25(–35) × (7–)9–15(–18) mm, base truncate or round to subcordate, margins usually revolute, entire or inconspicuously crenulate, apex round to obtuse or emarginate, surfaces sparsely to conspicuously gland-dotted, usually glabrous or glabrate, sometimes sparsely pubescent abaxially;
midvein terminated by a slender mucro, (0.2–)0.4–1 mm.
(6–)8–18(–24) cm;
stipules sometimes persistent, mostly acicular, (1–)1.2–2.5(–3) mm;
petiole (0.5–)1–10(–13) mm, gland-dotted, usually puberulent or strigulose, rarely glabrous;
rachis sparsely gland-dotted, often puberulent, sometimes glabrous;
leaflets (15–)23–45(–63), stipels acicular to setaceous, (0.4–)0.8–2 mm, petiolule (0.7–)1–2 mm, gland-dotted, usually puberulent, rarely glabrous, blade elliptic to oblong or ovate to suborbiculate, (7–)10–25(–32) × (3–)4–10(–5) mm, base obtuse to round or truncate to subcordate, margins often revolute, entire or inconspicuously crenulate, apex obtuse to round or emarginate, surfaces densely pubescent or glabrous;
midvein terminated by a swollen mucro, 0.2–0.8 mm, mucro sessile or short-stalked, glandlike.
(1–)3–5(–8)-branched, 10–20(–30) cm;
rachis sparsely gland-dotted, puberulent;
bracteoles linear to narrowly subulate, 1.5–2.5(–3) mm, usually eglandular, sparsely pubescent or sparsely ciliate.
(1–)4–12(–20)-branched, (3–)10–18(–40) cm;
rachis sparsely gland-dotted, puberulent;
bracteoles mostly linear, (1.2–)1.8–2.5(–3) mm, gland-dotted, sparsely hairy.
0.4–1 mm, eglandular, sparsely pubescent.
(0.2–)0.4–1.2(–1.8) mm, sparsely gland-dotted, puberulent or, sometimes, glabrous.
calyx tube turbinate to narrowly campanulate or cylindric, 1.7–2.2 mm, distal 1/3–2/3 rarely gland-dotted, glabrous;
lobes: abaxial lobe acuminate, slightly longer, adaxial lobes triangular to acuminate, 0.4–1.2(–1.5) mm, margins densely ciliate;
banner bright blue, broadly obovate to obcordate, (4–)5–6 × 3–3.5(–4) mm, distinctly clawed, margins entire or finely erose;
filaments 5–8 mm, distinct;
anthers yellow;
ovary pubescent.
calyx tube turbinate to narrowly campanulate or cylindric, 1.5–2.5(–3) mm, distal 1/2–2/3 often gland-dotted, puberulent, short-pilose, strigulose, glabrate, or glabrous;
lobes: abaxial lobe narrowly triangular, slightly longer, adaxial lobes triangular or obtuse, (0.4–)0.5–1.2(–1.5) mm;
banner white, lavender, or violet, broadly obcordate, (4–)5–6(–7) × (2–)2.5–3.5 mm, distinctly clawed, margins entire or finely erose;
filaments 6–8 mm, distinct;
anthers yellow to yellowish orange;
ovary puberulent or glabrous.
sessile or stipitate, 4–5.5 × 2–2.5 mm, margins curved outward abaxially, straight adaxially, at least distal 1/2–2/3 gland-dotted, glabrous.
sessile, 4–6 × 1.8–2.5 mm, margins strongly curved outward abaxially, straight to slightly arched adaxially, distal 1/2–2/3 gland-dotted, puberulent or glabrous.
olive brown or brown, 2–2.3 × 1–1.5 mm, smooth, lustrous.
not seen.
Amorpha confusa
Amorpha herbacea
Amorpha confusa is known presently only from Brunswick and Columbus counties; it is believed to be extirpated in adjacent South Carolina. The taxon is a Federal species of concern and is listed as threatened in North Carolina. It is usually encountered growing in loamy soils, most often of the Foreston soil series.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Shrubs usually densely short-pubescent or puberulent at least distally, sometimes sparsely pubescent or glabrate; calyx tubes densely puberulent or short-pilose; legumes often densely to sparsely puberulent, sometimes proximal 1/3–1/2 glabrous, sometimes glabrous throughout. | var. herbacea |
1. Shrubs usually glabrous or glabrate distally, sometimes sparsely pubescent; calyx tubes often glabrous or glabrate, sometimes strigulose; legumes usually glabrous. | var. floridana |
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