Rhynchosia cytisoides

Herbs or subshrubs. Stems erect and wiry, villosulous to puberulent, hairs silvery. Leaves trifoliolate; stipules persistent, linear, 1 × 0.5 mm, apex acuminate; petiole 1–3 mm, puberulent; leaflet blades elliptic, 5–20 × 4–10 mm, leathery, gland-dotted abaxially, base cuneate, margins revolute, apex acute to obtuse, frequently apiculate, surfaces puberulent abaxially, finely strigose adaxially. Inflorescences 1(2 or 3) simple flowers per axil, longer than leaves, 0.7–1.5 cm. Pedicels 3–5 mm. Flowers: calyx 5–8 mm, hirtellous, tube 1.5–3 mm, lobes lanceolate, laterals 4.5–5 mm, lengths to 2.5 times tube, adaxials 1–1.5 mm; corolla yellow, veined purple; banner obovate to orbiculate, 8–10 × 7–10 mm, emarginate, glabrous; wings narrowly oblong, 8.5–10 × 2–2.5 mm, glabrous; keel 9–10 × 4–5 mm, glabrous; stamens 10–12 mm. Legumes oblong or oblong-lanceoloid, compressed, 10–20 × 5–9 mm, puberulent. Seeds brown, black, or mottled, subglobose, compressed, 2–3 × 2–3 mm; hilum ovate, 0.5–1 mm.

Phenology: Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat: Sandy soils of pinehills, fields, oak woodlands, roadsides, sand dunes.
Elevation: 0–50 m.

Ala., Fla., Miss.

Discussion

Rhynchosia galactoides (Nuttall) Endlicher ex Walpers is an illegitimate name that pertains here.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa