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hoffmanseggia, hog potato, Indian rushpea, pig-nut

sickle-pod rush-pea, sicklepod holdback

Habit Herbs, 5–30(–50) cm; from deep taproot, producing round, tuberlike spheres to 2 cm. Herbs, 8–30 cm, with very short internodes, appearing almost fasciculate; from taproot.
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.

30–100 × 13–30 mm;

stipules lanceolate, 2–3 × 1–1.3 mm;

pinnae 7–9;

leaflets 9–19 per pinna, blades obtuse-ovate, 1–5.5 × 1–2.3 mm, surfaces glabrous or sparsely strigose abaxially, glabrous or sparsely pubescent adaxially.

Racemes

4–15-flowered, terminal, 5–23 cm;

rachis and pedicels puberulent to strigose and stipitate-glandular.

3–11-flowered, terminal, 6–27 cm;

rachis and pedicels strigose, eglandular.

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.

turbinate, 6–9 × 3.5–5 mm;

calyx persistent, often roseate to burgundy, distinct portion 3–5 × 1–2 mm, pubescent to strigose abaxially, eglandular;

banner yellow, sometimes tinged with red, 5–8 × 2.5–4.5 mm, glabrous abaxially, with small tuft of trichomes at base of claw adaxially;

lateral petals yellow, sometimes tinged red, 6.5–8 × 2–5 mm, glabrous 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.

flat, arcuate, sometimes forming nearly a full circle, pale brown or reddish, falcate, 23–40 × 5–8 mm, indehiscent, margins parallel, pronounced, puberulent, apex round, with remnants of withered style;

valves reticulate, puberulent.

Seeds

1–10.

6–11.

2n

= 24.

= 24.

Hoffmannseggia glauca

Hoffmannseggia drepanocarpa

Phenology Flowering spring. Flowering spring (late summer).
Habitat Disturbed areas. Grasslands in sandy or clay limestone soils.
Elevation 0–3000 m. (0–9800 ft.) 900–2000 m. (3000–6600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AZ; CA; KS; NM; OK; TX; Mexico; South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru)
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CO; KS; NM; TX; Mexico (Chihuahua, Coahuila)
[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. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Caesalpinioideae (excluding Mimosoid clade) > Hoffmannseggia Fabaceae > subfam. Caesalpinioideae (excluding Mimosoid clade) > Hoffmannseggia
Sibling taxa
H. drepanocarpa, H. drummondii, H. microphylla, H. oxycarpa, H. repens, H. tenella
H. drummondii, H. glauca, 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 Caesalpinia drepanocarpa, Larrea drepanocarpa
Name authority (Ortega) Eifert: Sida 5: 43. (1972) — (as Hoffmanseggia) A. Gray: Smithsonian Contr. Knowl. 3(5): 58. (1852) — (as Hoffmanseggia)
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