Sophora tomentosa
Sophora nuttalliana
yellow necklacepod, yellow sophora
silky sophora, white loco, white sophora
rachis 10–25 cm;
leaflets 11–21, blades obovate, oblong, elliptic, or suborbiculate, 2–4(–5) cm, surfaces villous to sericeous abaxially, densely villous, sericeous, or glabrescent adaxially.
rachis (3–)5–8 cm;
leaflets (7–)11–23, blades ovate to oblanceolate, 0.5–1.5 cm, surfaces sericeous abaxially, glabrous adaxially.
35–75-flowered, crowded, 12–32 cm;
bracteoles 0.
6–35-flowered, loose to dense, 2–8 cm;
bracteoles 2.
4–10 mm.
1–2 mm.
spreading, (17–)20–25 mm;
calyx broadly campanulate, 5–8[–10] mm;
corolla creamy white to yellow;
ovary pubescent.
ascending, becoming spreading or descending, 12–16 mm;
calyx asymmetrically tubular, asymmetrically pouched, 5–8 mm;
corolla white to creamy white;
ovary pubescent.
black, narrowly oblong-moniliform, 5–15(–20) × 0.5–1 cm, leathery.
light brown, cylindric, torulose, 3–7 × 0.5–1 cm, firmly papery.
1–15, light brown, 4–8 mm.
(1 or)2–4(–6), mustard-yellow or olivaceous to brown, 4.5–5 mm.
= 18.
= 36.
Sophora tomentosa
Sophora nuttalliana
Subspecies ca. 7 (2 in the flora).
Sophora tomentosa is polymorphic and has a worldwide distribution along tropical and subtropical seashores. The seeds are considered toxic and have diuretic, sudorific, and purgative properties; they are also used for other medicinal purposes (R. A. Vines 1960).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Clonal patches of Sophora nuttalliana are widespread in the short-grass prairies of the Great Plains and adjacent areas. When in flower, it has an aspect reminiscent of Astragalus. Like that genus, it and other Sophora species are considered toxic (G. E. Burrows and R. L. Tyrl 2013). However, experiments involving feeding large amounts of plant material to horses failed to provoke symptoms (J. M. Kingsbury 1964). Roots of S. nuttalliana reportedly have been used by Native American groups as a sweetener and special food treat, and the plants have been used as forage for sheep (D. E. Moerman 1998).
The name Sophora carnosa (Pursh) Yakovlev is based on an illegitimate name, Astragalus carnosus Pursh, with which A. crassicarpus Nuttall was cited in synonymy. The fruit described for A. carnosus is that of A. crassicarpus, while the rest of the description is based on flowers and foliage of S. nuttalliana.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Leaflet blades mostly obovate or oblong; flowers (17–)20–23 mm. | subsp. bahamensis |
1. Leaflet blades broadly elliptic or suborbiculate; flowers 23–25 mm. | subsp. occidentalis |
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