Flora of North America species comparison

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Glycine max

reseeding soybean, soybean, wild soybean
Habit Herbs 0.2–1 m. Stems ± ribbed, hairs reddish brown.
Leaves

petiole (2–)8–15(–24) cm;

rachis 5–30 mm, sparsely hairy;

stipels linear-lanceolate;

leaflet blades ovate-elliptic to orbiculate, 3–10(–15) × 2.5–8 cm, base broadly rounded, apex obtuse to subacute.
Racemes

bracteoles lanceolate, 2–3 mm, hairy.
Pedicels

2–4 mm.
Flowers

calyx 4–7 mm;

stamens 2.5 mm;

anthers broadly ellipsoid, 0.3 mm.
Legumes

2.5–8.5 cm × 8–15 mm, often tardily dehiscent.
Seeds

light to dark brown, sometimes mottled, 6–11 mm.
2n

= 40.

Glycine max
Phenology Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat Disturbed areas, roadsides, railroad ballast, drainage ditches.
Elevation 0–300 m. (0–1000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; DE; GA; IA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; MI; MN; MO; MS; NC; NE; NJ; NY; OH; PA; SC; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; ON; QC; Asia (China) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in South America, s Europe, elsewhere in Asia, Africa, Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Glycine max is cultivated for the extraction of oil, for the edible seeds, and for animal fodder; it is estimated that it provides about one-third of all protein used by humans. It is not known as a wild plant in its native China, and is believed to have originated as a selection from G. soja Siebold & Zuccarini. The latter is a twining herb with seeds 2.5–4 mm. Glycine max probably is not truly naturalized in Canada and some of the states listed for the flora area.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Source FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Glycine
Synonyms Phaseolus max, Dolichos soja, G. hispida, Soja hispida
Name authority (Linnaeus) Merrill: Interpr. Herb. Amboin., 274. (1917)
Web links 
Unless otherwise noted, all data comes from the online version of the Flora of North America, who have made most of their content available via a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0).



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