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clusterspike false indigo

Appalachian indigo-bush, mountain false indigo

Habit Shrubs, (0.3–)0.6–1.2(–1.5) m; arising from thick, horizontal rootstock. Shrubs, 1–2 m; arising from compact, woody root.
Stems

finely longitudinally grooved and ridged, often obscurely gland-dotted, sparsely to densely puberulent, glabrate, or glabrous.

smooth, sparsely gland-dotted or eglandular, usually glabrous, sometimes glabrate.

Leaves

(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.

(10–)14–22(–30) cm;

stipules linear to linear-lanceolate, 2.5–4.5 mm, eglandular, slightly hairy or margins ciliate;

petiole (16–)20–40(–60) mm, sparsely gland-dotted or eglandular, glabrous or sparsely puberulent;

rachis sparsely gland-dotted, glabrous or, rarely, sparsely puberulent;

leaflets (9–)11–15(–19), stipels acicular to setaceous, 1.2–2 mm, petiolule 2–4(–5.5) mm, sparsely gland-dotted, usually glabrous, blade often elliptic to oblong, sometimes ovate to, rarely, orbiculate, (14–)20–45(–75) × (10–)14–28(–36) mm, base round to truncate or subcordate, margins slightly revolute, entire or slightly crenulate, apex obtuse to broadly round or emarginate, surfaces gland-dotted, mostly glabrous;

midvein terminated by a slightly swollen mucro, 0.2–0.4 mm.

Racemes

(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.

1–3(or 4)-branched, (5–)10–18(–28) cm;

rachis gland-dotted, usually glabrous;

bracteoles usually narrowly lanceolate, (0.5–)0.8–1.5(–2) mm, eglandular, puberulent, often ciliate.

Pedicels

(0.2–)0.4–1.2(–1.8) mm, sparsely gland-dotted, puberulent or, sometimes, glabrous.

(0.8–)1–2.5(–3) mm, eglandular, usually glabrous.

Flowers

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.

calyx tube broadly turbinate to campanulate, 2–3(–3.2) mm, eglandular, glabrous except rim ciliate;

lobes obscure or developed, then rounded to broadly triangular-dentate, 0–0.6(–0.8) mm;

banner purplish, broadly obcordate, (4.5–)6–8(–8.5) × 4–6 mm, clawed, margins entire or erose;

filaments 8–11 mm, connate basally 3–4.5 mm;

anthers golden yellow to orange;

ovary glabrous.

Legumes

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.

sessile, (6.5–)7.5–9(–10) × (2.5–)3–4(–4.5) mm, margins distinctly curved outward abaxially, straight or nearly so adaxially, at least distal 2/3 gland-dotted, glabrous.

Seeds

not seen.

not seen.

Amorpha herbacea

Amorpha glabra

Phenology Flowering May–Jul.
Habitat Dry to moist thickets and woods, pine-oak heath ridges.
Elevation (30–)400–1200 m. ((100–)1300–3900 ft.)
Distribution
from USDA
se United States
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; GA; NC; SC; TN
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Amorpha glabra is listed as a species of concern in South Carolina.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Key
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
Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Amorpha Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Amorpha
Sibling taxa
A. californica, A. canescens, A. confusa, A. crenulata, A. fruticosa, A. georgiana, A. glabra, A. laevigata, A. nana, A. nitens, A. ouachitensis, A. paniculata, A. roemeriana, A. schwerinii
A. californica, A. canescens, A. confusa, A. crenulata, A. fruticosa, A. georgiana, A. herbacea, A. laevigata, A. nana, A. nitens, A. ouachitensis, A. paniculata, A. roemeriana, A. schwerinii
Subordinate taxa
A. herbacea var. floridana, A. herbacea var. herbacea
Name authority Walter: Fl. Carol., 179. (1788) Desfontaines ex Persoon: Syn. Pl. 2: 295. (1807)
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