Baptisia sphaerocarpa
J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 7: 97. 1834.
Herbs erect, to 1 m, glabrescent. Leaves petiolate; stipules deciduous, subulate, 4–16 mm; petiole 1–4 mm; leaflets 3 to mid stem, or 1 or 2 distally, blades obovate or elliptic to oblanceolate. Racemes 5+-flowered, terminal, stiffly erect, bracteate, bracts caducous. Pedicels 2–5 mm. Flowers 18–22 mm; calyx 7–9 mm, glabrous; corolla bright yellow, 16–20 mm. Legumes ascending to spreading, suborbicular, 7–11 × 7–11 mm, woody, glabrous. Seeds 2–4(–6). 2n = 18.
Phenology: Flowering Apr–May.
Habitat: Mostly clay or silty-clay soils.
Elevation: 10–200 m.
Distribution
La., Miss., Mo., Okla., Tex.
Discussion
Baptisia sphaerocarpa forms hybrids with B. lactea, B. leucophaea (B. × intermedia Larisey [= B. × bushii Small and B. × stricta Larisey]), and B. nuttalliana. Baptisia × bushii was treated as a species by M. M. Larisey (1940). Baptisia × intermedia, as described by Larisey, was said to be a hybrid of B. leucophaea var. glabrescens Larisey and B. viridis, which is treated here as synonymous with B. sphaerocarpa. Interestingly, these three hybrids (B. × bushii, B. × intermedia, and B. × stricta) key out in adjacent couplets in the treatment by Larisey.
Selected References
None.