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hoffmanseggia, hog potato, Indian rushpea, pig-nut

Habit Herbs, 5–30(–50) cm; from deep taproot, producing round, tuberlike spheres to 2 cm.
Leaves

38–150 ×13–42 mm;

stipules ovate, 1.5–4 × 1.5–3 mm, ciliate;

pinnae 4–13;

leaflets 7–27 per pinna, blades obtuse-ovate, 2–6 × 1–4.5 mm, surfaces strigose abaxially, glabrous adaxially.

Racemes

4–15-flowered, terminal, 5–23 cm;

rachis and pedicels puberulent to strigose and stipitate-glandular.

Flowers

turning downward, broadly flared, 10–16 × 10–18 mm;

calyx persistent, densely pubescent abaxially, with multicellular, glandular trichomes;

banner yellow, drying pink with red markings, 5–14 × 5 mm, conspicuous multicellular, glandular trichomes on claw and abaxial surface, with few hairs at base of folded claw adaxially;

lateral petals bright yellow, 13 × 6 mm, with multicellular, glandular trichomes on claw margins and base abaxially.

Legumes

tan, rectangular to arcuate, sometimes expanded near apex, 20–40 × 5–8 mm, indehiscent, margins ± parallel, obscure, apex obtuse to acute;

valves flat, sparsely tomentose, with a few scattered multicellular, glandular trichomes appearing as brown dots.

Seeds

1–10.

2n

= 24.

Hoffmannseggia glauca

Phenology Flowering spring.
Habitat Disturbed areas.
Elevation 0–3000 m. (0–9800 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; KS; NM; OK; TX; Mexico; South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Hoffmannseggia glauca is considered a noxious weed in agricultural and pasture lands of the middle and southwestern United States, spreading aggressively by tuberous roots. While it is possible that it was introduced into North America by humans, historical use of the tubers by indigenous people in the American Southwest indicates a long association and, perhaps, natural long-distance dispersal from South America.

Hoffmannseggia falcaria Cavanilles, an illegitimate and superfluous name, pertains here.

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

Source FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Caesalpinioideae (excluding Mimosoid clade) > Hoffmannseggia
Sibling taxa
H. drepanocarpa, H. drummondii, H. microphylla, H. oxycarpa, H. repens, H. tenella
Synonyms Larrea glauca, Caesalpinia falcaria var. capitata, C. falcaria var. pringlei, C. falcaria var. rusbyi, H. densiflora, H. falcaria var. capitata, H. falcaria var. pringlei, H. falcaria var. rusbyi, H. stricta, H. stricta var. demissa
Name authority (Ortega) Eifert: Sida 5: 43. (1972) — (as Hoffmanseggia)
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