Stems clumped from caudex, 40–140 cm. Leaves (6–)8–20 × (3–)6–10 cm; stipules opposite petiole, base sagittate, margins toothed; leaflet blades linear-elliptic, (15–)30–50 × 25–18 mm, apex mucronate. Pedicels reflexed at anthesis, erect in fruit, 2–4.5 mm, glabrous. Flowers: calyx campanulate, subactinomorphic, tube 2–2.5 mm, 10-veined, glabrous, teeth subequal, puber­ulent or glabrous; banner shallowly lobed, wings equal or subequal to keel, keel 7–11 mm, apex blunt. Legumes ascending, light green, shallowly torulose with con­strictions between seeds, sutures prominent, 25–45 × 2–3 mm. 2n = 16.

Phenology: Flowering early spring–late summer.
Habitat: Disturbed sites.
Elevation: 10–1500 m.

Distribution

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Introduced; Ont., Que., Colo., Conn., D.C., Fla., Idaho, Ind., Maine, Mass., Nebr., N.Y., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., Utah, Wash., W.Va., Eurasia, introduced also in s South America, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia.

Discussion

Galega officinalis was introduced as a forage plant in northern Utah during the early twentieth century by a professor at the Utah Agricultural College. The species quickly became weedy in agricultural sites and it was given the local name professor weed; it has become a noxious weed in most of its range in North America. The plants contain toxic alkaloids.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.