Flora of North America species comparison

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Sophora tomentosa

Sophora tomentosa subsp. occidentalis

yellow necklacepod, yellow sophora
Photo is of parent taxon

yellow necklacepod
Habit Shrubs or small trees, 1–3(–6) m, tomentulose to deeply sericeous.
Leaves

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.

Leaflet

blades broadly elliptic or suborbiculate, base subcordate, slightly asymmetrical, surfaces tomentulose abaxially.
Inflorescences

35–75-flowered, crowded, 12–32 cm;

bracteoles 0.

Pedicels

4–10 mm.

Flowers

spreading, (17–)20–25 mm;

calyx broadly campanulate, 5–8[–10] mm;

corolla creamy white to yellow;

ovary pubescent.

23–25 mm;

calyx 7–8 mm.
Legumes

black, narrowly oblong-moniliform, 5–15(–20) × 0.5–1 cm, leathery.

Seeds

1–15, light brown, 4–8 mm.

2n

= 18.

Sophora tomentosa

Sophora tomentosa subsp. occidentalis
Phenology Flowering Mar–Oct (year-round).
Habitat Sandy coastal ridges, flats behind dunes, among coastal rocks.
Elevation 0–10 m. (0–0 ft.)
Distribution
from USDA
sc United States; se United States; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; n South America; se Asia; Africa; Pacific Islands; Australia
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; TX; Central America; Mexico (Baja California Sur); n South America; w Africa
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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.)

Subspecies occidentalis is known from peninsular Florida, where it is considered rare, from Martin, Miami-Dade, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties. In Texas, the subspecies is known from coastal areas from Refugio County southward to Cameron County.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key
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
Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Sophora Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Sophora > Sophora tomentosa
Sibling taxa
S. leachiana, S. nuttalliana, S. stenophylla
S. tomentosa subsp. bahamensis
Subordinate taxa
S. tomentosa subsp. bahamensis, S. tomentosa subsp. occidentalis
Synonyms S. occidentalis, S. havanensis
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 373. (1753) (Linnaeus) Brummitt: Kirkia 5: 265. (1966)
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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