Indigofera caroliniana
Gard. Dict. ed. 8, Indigofera no. 3. 1768.
Herbs, perennial, herbaceous or suffrutescent, sparsely strigose, hairs appressed. Stems erect or ascending, often bushy, branched, 7–15 dm. Leaves 2–8.5 cm; stipules narrowly triangular, 0.5–1 mm; petiole 0.5–1.3 cm; stipels 0.5–1 mm; petiolules 1–1.3 mm; leaflets (7 or)9–13, ± opposite, blades obovate to oblanceolate, 8–20(–25) × 2–12 mm, base cuneate, apex broadly acute or obtuse, mucronate, surfaces strigulose, pale abaxially. Peduncles 1–2 cm. Racemes 15–40-flowered, lax, 4–12 cm. Pedicels 1–2(–3) mm. Flowers 6–9 mm; calyx 1.5–2 mm, lobes deltate; corolla dark pinkish buff to ochroleucous. Legumes dark brown, deflexed, ovoid or oblong, straight, 7–9 mm, woody, glabrate or sparsely strigulose. Seeds 2 or 3, yellowish tan, bluntly ellipsoidal.
Phenology: Flowering Jun–Jul.
Habitat: Pinelands, pine-palmetto, scrub oak communities, sandhills, hammocks, roadsides.
Elevation: 0–200 m.
Distribution
Ala., Fla., Ga., La., N.C., S.C.
Discussion
Indigofera caroliniana Walter is an illegitimate later homonym that pertains here; the name by Walter is also the basis of Anila caroliniana.
Selected References
None.