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one-leaf clover, wild bushbean

conchito, purple bush-bean

Habit Herbs, biennial; root elongate.
Stems

erect or semierect, with hollow pith, glabrescent.

twining, solid, sericeous.

Leaves

stipules retrorse, lanceolate, 42–60 × 8–15 mm;

petiole 1.8–4.5 cm, glabrescent;

rachis 5–11 mm;

stipels linear, 1–1.8 mm;

leaflets membranous, blades ovate, elliptic, or oblong, base attenuate, apex acute, surfaces strigulose abaxially, glabrescent adaxially;

lateral blades 2–4.5 × 0.6–2 cm, terminal blades 2–5.5 × 0.6–4 cm.

stipules retrorse, lanceolate or ovate, 5–6 × 1.8–2 mm;

petiole 3.5–8 cm, canescent;

rachis 5–8 mm;

stipels linear, 1.2–2.5 mm;

leaflets papery, blades elliptic or ovate, base cuneate or obtuse, apex acute, surfaces often canescent abaxially, strigose adaxially;

lateral blades 3.3–4 × 2.7–3.3 cm, 2-lobed, terminal blades often hastate, 4.5–4.7 × 3–4.3 cm.

Inflorescences

19–46 cm, axes glabrous;

tufts of bracts at base of peduncle persistent, 3.3–6.3(–7.5) mm, triangular, puberulent;

extrafloral nectaries conspicuous at nodes;

bracts and bracteoles subulate.

26–36 cm, axes pilose;

tufts of bracts at base of peduncle persistent, 5.5 mm, lanceolate, canescent;

extrafloral nectaries conspicuous at nodes;

bracts and bracteoles lanceolate or subulate.

Pedicels

0.8–1.9 mm.

1–2 mm.

Flowers

2–2.6 cm;

calyx tubular, 3–7 mm, strigose or glabrescent, calyx lobes shorter than tube;

corolla red;

banner oblong, 9.5–15 × 8–9 mm;

wings oblong, 11.5–26 × 6.5(–12) mm;

keel 9–16 mm;

ovary nectary disc distally oblique;

ovules 24.

1.7–3 cm;

calyx campanulate, 6.2–8 mm, canescent, calyx lobes shorter than tube;

corolla purple-black;

banner oblong, 13–17 × 9–10.4 mm;

wings obovate, 13–24 × 8–14.3 mm;

keel 9–16 mm;

ovary nectary disc distally oblique;

ovules 13.

Legumes

patent, linear, 9.5–10.5 × 0.2–0.3 cm.

patent, linear, 7–10 × 0.3–0.4 cm, valves twisting at dehiscence.

Seeds

15–20, oblong, 2.5–4.4 × 2.5 mm, valves twisting at dehiscence.

12 or 13, oblong, 3.5–5.2 × 2–3.2 mm.

Vines

, perennial;

root elongate.

2n

= 22.

= 22.

Macroptilium lathyroides

Macroptilium atropurpureum

Phenology Flowering May–Nov. Flowering Mar–Sep.
Habitat Disturbed sites, flat pinelands, oak forests, grassy sandy fields. intro­duced in tropical areas nearly worldwide..
Elevation 0–20 m. (0–100 ft.) 10–1200 m. (0–3900 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; GA; LA; SC; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Asia, Africa, Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; CA; FL; MS; NM; TX; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; South America (n Argentina); intro­duced in tropical areas nearly worldwide
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Macroptilium lathyroides is relatively common throughout central and southern peninsular Florida; other occurrences in the flora area are mainly in the Coastal Plain. A report of M. lathyroides as a nursery weed in Texas (J. Aplaca 2012) has not been confirmed.

Lotus maritimus Vellozo is an illegitimate name that pertains here.

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

Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Macroptilium Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Macroptilium
Sibling taxa
M. atropurpureum, M. gibbosifolium, M. supinum
M. gibbosifolium, M. lathyroides, M. supinum
Synonyms Phaseolus lathyroides, M. lathyroides var. semierectum, P. crotalarioides, P. hastifolius, P. maritimus, P. psoraleoides, P. semierectus var. angustifolius, P. semierectus var. nanus Phaseolus atropurpureus, P. atropurpureus var. canescens, P. atropurpureus var. pseuderythroloma, P. atropurpureus var. sericeus, P. canescens, P. dysophyllus, P. schiedeanus
Name authority (Linnaeus) Urban: Symb. Antill. 9: 457. (1928) (de Candolle) Urban: Symb. Antill. 9: 457. (1928)
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