The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Piedmont indigo-bush, schwerin's false indigo

panicle false indigo, panicle false indigo or indigo-bush

Habit Shrubs, (1–)1.5–2.5 m; arising from compact, woody root. Shrubs or suffrutescent herbs, 1–3 m; arising from compact, woody root.
Stems

finely grooved, gland-dotted, puberulent.

longitudinally grooved and ridged, eglandular, mostly puberulent, canescent, or tomentose, sometimes glabrate.

Leaves

(5–)8–12(–22) cm;

stipules linear to narrowly lanceolate, 3–4.5 mm, eglandular, pubescent abaxially, glabrous adaxially;

petiole (7–)10–18(–25) mm, usually eglandular, pubescent;

rachis usually eglandular, puberulent;

leaflets (7–)19–27(–29), stipels acicular, 1–2.2 mm, petiolule (0.5–)1–2 mm, gland-dotted, pilosulous to puberulent, blade usually elliptic to narrowly oblong, rarely ovate to suborbiculate, (5–)15–30(–40) × (4–)8–15(–20) mm, base truncate to subcordate, margins slightly revolute, entire or slightly crenulate, apex obtuse to round or emarginate, surfaces gland-dotted, pilose to pubescent;

midvein terminated by a swollen mucro, 0.2–0.5(–0.8) mm.

(10–)20–40 cm;

stipules linear, 2–3 mm, eglandular, pubescent;

petiole (20–)30–60(–90) mm, eglandular, puberulent, canescent, or tomentose;

rachis eglandular, puberulent or canescent;

leaflets (9–)11–19, stipels acicular, 1–2 mm, petiolule (2–)4–10 mm, sparsely gland-dotted, usually pilosulous proximally, glabrous distally, blade narrowly elliptic to oblong or ovate, 15–30(–50) × (14–)18–22(–26) mm, base round, margins flat, entire, apex round, surfaces sparsely gland-dotted abaxially, canescent to tomentose or glabrate abaxially, usually puberulent to glabrate or glabrous adaxially;

veins conspicuous, distinctly raised abaxially;

midvein terminated by a slender mucro, 0.5–1.8 mm.

Racemes

1(or 2)-branched, (2–)4–8(–12) cm;

rachis usually eglandular, puberulent to pubescent;

bracteoles linear to narrowly lanceolate, 2–3.5 mm, pilosulous abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

(1–)5–12-branched, paniculiform, (5–)15–30(–40) cm;

rachis eglandular, short-pilose;

bracteoles linear, 1–2 mm, eglandular, short-pilose.

Pedicels

(0.8–)1–1.5(–2) mm, eglandular, puberulent to pubescent.

1–2 mm, eglandular, short-pilose.

Flowers

calyx tube turbinate to cylindric, 1.8–2.5 mm, distal 1/3 or less gland-dotted, pilosulous;

lobes linear to narrowly lanceolate, (1.2–)2–3.5 mm;

banner purplish, broadly obovate to obcordate, 4.5–6.5 × 3–4.2 mm, distinctly clawed, margins entire or erose;

filaments 6–8 mm, connate basally 1.5–2 mm;

anthers golden yellow;

ovary usually pubescent.

calyx tube funnelform, 1.8–2.2 mm, distal 1/3 gland-dotted, usually short-pilose, rarely glabrate;

lobes: abaxial lobe linear to narrowly lanceolate, adaxial lobes usually triangular to ovate, (1–)1.2–2 mm;

banner purple, broadly obcordate, 5–7 × 3–4 mm, indistinctly clawed, margins entire or slightly erose;

filaments 5–6 mm, connate basally 2.5–3 mm;

anthers orange;

ovary glabrous.

Legumes

sessile, 5–6.5 × 1.8–2.2 mm, margins curved outward abaxially, straight adaxially, at least distal 1/2 gland-dotted, usually glabrous.

sessile, 4–6(–8) × 2–2.5 mm, margins curved outward abaxially, bent outward adaxially, gland-dotted, glabrous.

Seeds

not seen.

reddish brown, 3–3.5 × 1.5–1.8 mm, smooth.

Amorpha schwerinii

Amorpha paniculata

Phenology Flowering Apr–Jun. Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat Dry to moist open woodlands and forests. Moist, acid thickets, bogs, and swamps.
Elevation 100–600 m. (300–2000 ft.) 10–300 m. (0–1000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; GA; NC; SC
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AR; LA; OK; TX
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Amorpha schwerinii is listed as a species of special concern in Georgia and South Carolina, and as significantly rare in North Carolina.

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

Amorpha paniculata is listed as threatened in Arkansas and as a species of concern in Oklahoma.

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

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. herbacea, A. laevigata, A. nana, A. nitens, A. ouachitensis, A. paniculata, A. roemeriana
A. californica, A. canescens, A. confusa, A. crenulata, A. fruticosa, A. georgiana, A. glabra, A. herbacea, A. laevigata, A. nana, A. nitens, A. ouachitensis, A. roemeriana, A. schwerinii
Name authority C. K. Schneider: Ill. Handb. Laubholzk. 2: 71, figs. 42l,m, 44a. (1907) — (as schwerini) Torrey & A. Gray: Fl. N. Amer. 1: 306. (1838)
Web links