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partridge pea, sensitive partridge or wild sensitive pea, sensitive partridge pea, wild sensitive-pea

Photo is of parent taxon
Habit Herbs, annual, rarely over-wintering, to 0.8(–1)[–1.2] m. Stems erect, incurved ascending. Herbs to 0.8(–1) m. Stems pubescent, hairs yellow or orange reddish, 1–2.5 mm.
Leaves

(1.5–)2–8(–9)[15–21] cm;

petiole (1.5–)2–7 mm;

extrafloral nectary 1(or 2), near mid petiole, stipitate;

leaflets (6–)8–28(–32)[–40] pairs, blades usually straight, sometimes falcate, linear, narrowly oblong, or oblong-elliptic, (3–)4–26 × 1–3 mm.

(1.5–)2–7.5(–9) cm;

stipules persistent;

petiole (1.5–)2–7 mm, pubescent, hairs yellow or orange reddish, 1–2.5 mm;

leaflets (12–)16–28(–32) pairs, blades 4–14 × 1–2.3 mm, margins glabrous or hairs to 0.4 mm.

Racemes

1(or 2)-flowered, axillary.

Pedicels

0.5–4[–16] mm;

bracteoles mid pedicel.

1–2.5 mm.

Flowers

calyx greenish, sepal venation reticulate;

corolla yellow, sometimes fading pinkish, petals to 3.5–8(–9)[–16] mm;

stamens [2–]4–8[or 9];

anthers yellow-orange or red, to (1.4–)1.6–3[–9.5] mm, different sizes;

ovary usually hairy throughout, rarely glabrate.

petals to 5–8(–9) mm;

stamens 5–8, staminodia 0–2 (or 3);

anthers to 1.6–2.8 mm;

ovary slightly hairy throughout;

ovules 5–10.

Legumes

straight, linear-oblong, [14–](15–)18–48(–56)[–78] × [2.4–]2.5–5.5(–5.8) mm.

(15–)18–32(–36) × (3.5–)4–5.5 mm.

Seeds

[1.9–](2.2–)2.4–3.4[–3.7] mm.

(2.2–)2.4–3.3 mm.

Chamaecrista nictitans

Chamaecrista nictitans var. aspera

Phenology Flowering mid summer–mid winter.
Habitat Sandy pinelands, beaches, dunes, limestone or coral detritus, old fields, along roadsides, ditches, and railways.
Elevation 0–50 m. (0–200 ft.)
Distribution
from USDA
United States; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; South America (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; GA; SC; West Indies (Bahamas, Cuba, Grand Cayman, Jamaica); Central America (Honduras)
Discussion

Varieties 13 (3 in the flora).

Chamaecrista nictitans is distinguished from the closely similar C. fasciculata (and C. deeringiana) by its globose-ovoid floral buds, which are ovoid-acuminate in the latter two species. All three varieties in the flora area belong to subsp. nictitans and are characterized by two to nine fertile stamens, while all other varieties have ten fertile stamens (they belong to the other subspecies): subsp. brachypoda (Bentham) H. S. Irwin & Barneby, subsp. disadena (Steudel) H. S. Irwin & Barneby, and subsp. patellaria (Colladon) H. S. Irwin & Barneby (H. S. Irwin and R. C. Barneby 1982). The key to varieties in the flora is adapted from Irwin and Barneby.

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

Variety aspera is widespread in Florida, and ranges north along the coastal plain to scattered populations in Georgia and South Carolina.

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

Key
1. Leaflet blade margins ciliolate, some hairs 0.4+ mm; ovules 8–19.
var. leptadenia
1. Leaflet blade margins glabrous or hairs to 0.4 mm; ovules 5–10.
→ 2
2. Stems and petioles glabrous or hairs whitish, to 0.7 mm.
var. nictitans
2. Stems and petioles covered with hairs yellow or orange reddish, 1–2.5 mm.
var. aspera
Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Caesalpinioideae (excluding Mimosoid clade) > Chamaecrista Fabaceae > subfam. Caesalpinioideae (excluding Mimosoid clade) > Chamaecrista > Chamaecrista nictitans
Sibling taxa
C. absus, C. calycioides, C. chamaecristoides, C. deeringiana, C. fasciculata, C. flexuosa, C. greggii, C. lineata, C. pilosa, C. rotundifolia, C. serpens
C. nictitans var. leptadenia, C. nictitans var. nictitans
Subordinate taxa
C. nictitans var. aspera, C. nictitans var. leptadenia, C. nictitans var. nictitans
Synonyms Cassia nictitans Cassia aspera, C. nictitans var. aspera
Name authority (Linnaeus) Moench: Methodus, 272. (1794) (Muhlenberg ex Elliott) Torrey & A. Gray ex H. S. Irwin & Barneby: Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 35: 838. (1982)
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