Vines, herbaceous. Stems usually ascending or erect, rarely twining, glabrous or sparsely to densely hirtel­lous, hairs grayish. Leaves usually unifoliolate, distal­most rarely trifoliolate; stipules persistent, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 4–15 × 1–4.5 mm, apex acute to acuminate; petiole 15–45 mm, hirtellous; leaflet blades suborbiculate to reniform or ovate to oblong, 20–50 × 25–70 mm, leathery, gland-dotted, base truncate, broadly rounded to cuneate, or subcordate, apex obtuse, broadly rounded, emarginate to mucronate, surfaces reticulate and hirtellous abaxially, rugose and strigulose, glabrescent adaxially. Inflorescences crowded in densely packed heads, flowers numerous, shorter than leaves, 1–3.5 cm. Pedicels 1–3 mm. Flowers: calyx 7–10 mm, densely hirtellous, gland-dotted, tube 1.5–2 mm, lobes linear-lanceolate, laterals 7–8 mm, adaxials 2 mm; corolla yellow; banner elliptic-ovate, 6.5–7 × 6–6.5 mm, emarginate, glabrous; wings narrowly oblong, 6.5–7 × 1.5–2.5 mm, glabrous; keel 6.7–7 × 2–2.5 mm, glabrous; stamens 6–7 mm. Legumes oblong-ellipsoid, compressed, 13–18 × 5–7 mm, gland-dotted, hirtellous. Seeds brown, black, or mottled, sub­globose, compressed, 3 × 3 mm.

Phenology: Flowering spring–summer.
Habitat: Dry woodlands, sandhills, savannas, prairie openings, fields, roadsides.
Elevation: 20–300 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ala., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tenn., Tex.

Discussion

In Texas, Rhynchosia reniformis is known from rela­tively few counties in the easternmost part of the state.

Glycine monophylla (Michaux) Nuttall, G. reniformis Pursh, Rhynchosia intermedia (Torrey & A. Gray) Small, and R. simplicifolia (Walter) Alph. Wood are illegitimate names that pertain here.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.