Shrubs or subshrubs, to 3 m. Stems glabrous in age; pith spongy. Leaves 12–19 cm; stip­ules 0.2–0.4 cm, with incon­spicuous inner fold throughout, inner fold and base with stipi­tate, multicellular glands or glabrous; pulvinus less than 1/2 as long as petiole; rachis ± glabrous, without stipitate glands in canal; stipels narrow obscure glands; leaflets 16–50+, blades elliptic-ovate to oblong, base acute, apex obtuse, surfaces glaucous, usually glabrous abaxially, sometimes with diffuse, close-pressed hairs. Peduncles (0.9–)1.7–1.8(–3) cm. Inflorescences 1–12-flowered, racemes. Flowers (0.9–)1.3–1.5(–1.7) cm; calyx ± zygo­-morphic, deciduous before fruits mature, lobes 5, short-deltate, rim of tube with spreading hairs, stalked glands usually present between abaxial lobes; corolla pale yellow; banner ovate, base truncate-obcordate, apex emarginate, calluses as relatively small ridges at claw base, forming a pocket, thickened, knoblike at top of claw; wings without basal tooth; keel ± same color throughout, apex rounded-obtuse, curved upward to slightly outward in apical tooth, without basal tooth; stamens curved upward; style curved upward with stamens; ovules 4–9. Legumes light tan to reddish brown, 4-angled, with pronounced torulose wings, square in cross section, straight, (3.2–)5.7–6.2(–9.3) × 0.8(–0.9) mm, seed chambers clearly visible externally, beak short- to long-pyramidal, (0.4–)0.7–0.8(–1.3) cm, indehiscent or tardily dehiscent; stipe (1.1–)1.6(–2) cm. Seeds (1–)3 or 4(–9), dark reddish brown, without mot­tling, reniform-orbicular. 2n = 12.

Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Wet areas, riparian on sandy soils, coastal sites, disturbed sites.
Elevation: 0–600 m.

Distribution

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Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., S.C., Tex., Mexico (Tamaulipas).

Discussion

Sesbania drummondii is often mistaken for the Mexican species S. cavanillesii S. Watson (= Sesbania longifolia de Candolle). It is distinguished by rounded versus acute leaf apices and winged versus not winged legumes. In bloom, the yellow-orange corollas make S. drummondii clearly distinct from S. punicea; in fruit, identification is simplified by the acuminate versus pyramidal beak and wavy versus straight-edged wings.

Daubentonia texana Pierce is a superfluous name that pertains here.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.