Amorpha nitens

Shrubs, 1–2(–3) m; arising from compact, woody root. Stems smooth, usually eglandular, mostly glabrous or puberulent. Leaves 10–18(–22) cm; stipules linear to narrowly setaceous, 3–5 mm, sometimes sparsely gland-dotted, short-pilose; petiole (15–)20–35(–50) mm, eglandular, usually glabrous; rachis eglandular, usually glabrous; leaflets (7–)9–15(–19), stipels not seen, petiolule 2–5(–7) mm, eglandular, glabrous or pilosulous, blade drying blackish, usually elliptic to oblong, sometimes ovate, 20–40(–70) × (10–)15–35(–45) mm, base round, margins flat, entire, apex usually emarginate, sometimes round, surfaces distinctly shiny adaxially, usually glabrous and eglandular, rarely sparsely puberulent and sparsely gland-dotted abaxially; midvein terminated by a slender mucro, 0.1–0.2 mm. Racemes 1–3(–8)-branched, (5–)8–15(–25) cm; rachis usually eglandular, usually glabrous, sometimes puberulent; bracteoles drying blackish, linear to setaceous, 1.5–3(–4) mm, usually eglandular, glabrous or short-pilose. Pedicels drying blackish, 1–2.2 mm, eglandular, glabrous or short-pilose. Flowers: calyx drying blackish, tube usually funnelform to obconic, rarely campanulate, 2–2.5 mm, usually eglandular, glabrous or short-pilose; lobes: abaxial lobe triangular, slightly longer, adaxial lobes round to triangular, 0.2–1.4 mm; banner reddish purple, broadly obovate, 4.5–6 × 3–4.8 mm, obscurely clawed, margins entire or irregularly erose; filaments 5–7 mm, connate basally 2–2.5 mm; anthers yellow; ovary glabrous. Legumes short-stipitate, 6–8 × 2.5–3.5 mm, margins curved outward abaxially, straight or slightly curved inward adaxially, rarely at least distal 1/3 gland-dotted, glabrous. Seeds not seen.

Phenology: Flowering Apr–Jun.
Habitat: Moist thickets and woods.
Elevation: 50–600 m.

Ala., Ark., Ga., Ill., Ky., La., Okla., S.C., Tenn.

Discussion

Amorpha nitens is listed as endangered by the state of Illinois and as a species of special concern in Georgia; it is considered to be a sensitive species in the Shawnee National Forest by the United States Forest Service. Amorpha nitens and A. fruticosa share most of their characters and differ most distinctively by the tendency to blacken upon drying ascribed to A. nitens, although some A. fruticosa individuals can blacken upon drying as well.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa