Amorpha canescens

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Amorpha canescens
Amorpha Canescens.jpg
Inflorescence
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Amorpha
Species:
A. canescens
Binomial name
Amorpha canescens
Synonyms [2]
List
    • Amorpha brachycarpa E.J.Palmer (1931)
    • Amorpha canescens f. glabrata (A.Gray) Fassett (1936)
    • Amorpha canescens var. glabrata A.Gray (1852)
    • Amorpha canescens f. glabrescens Zabel (1903)
    • Amorpha canescens var. leptostachya A.Gray (1849)
    • Amorpha canescens var. typica C.K.Schneid. (1907)

Amorpha canescens, known as leadplant, downy indigo bush, prairie shoestring, or buffalo bellows, is a small, perennial semi-shrub in the pea family (Fabaceae), native to North America. [3] [4] It has very small purple flowers with yellow stamens [5] which are grouped in racemes. [6] Depending on location, the flowers bloom from late June through mid-September. [7] [5] The compound leaves of this plant appear leaden [6] (the reason for the common name "leadplant" [5] ) due to their dense hairiness. The roots can grow up to 5 m (16 ft) deep and can spread up to 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) radially. [4] This plant can be found growing in well-drained soils of prairies, bluffs, and open woodlands. [6]

Contents

Description

Typically between 0.3–1 m (1 ft 0 in – 3 ft 3 in) tall, leadplant can be identified by its small purple flowers grouped in long spikes and its grey-green leaflets that are alternate and pinnately compound. [8] The plant produces fruits in the form of hairy legumes each with one seed inside. The flower and leafing pattern is similar to Amorpha fruticosa , however, A. canescens typically only grows to be 1 meter (3 ft 3 in) high and prefers drier habitats whereas A. fruticosa can grow to be 5 or 6 meters (16 or 20 ft) high and lives in wetter areas.

Uses

Leadplant is used for a variety of different purposes. Indigenous peoples such as the Oglala use the plant for medicinal purposes. [9] [3] Some indigenous tribes believed that the plant could aide in treating pinworms, eczema, rheumatism, neuralgia, open wounds, and cuts. The leaves of the plant were also used to make a tea and as a smoking mixture when dried, crushed and combined with buffalo fat. [9] [10] It is also provides many benefits to the ecosystems it is a part of, for example it provides valuable nutrition for grazing animals and helps prevent soil erosion. [11] [4] Leadplant may also be used in landscaping and gardening purposes due to its nitrogen fixing qualities and ability to help prevent erosion. [12] Its nodulated roots are home to nitrogen fixing bacteria which help the plants grow. [12]

Taxonomy

Amorpha canescens was described by Frederick Pursh in 1814. It falls under subfamily Papilionoideae of the family Fabaceae. [7] The specific epithet "canescens" is a botanical Latin term meaning "becoming grey". [13] There have been further delineation beyond species of Amorpha canescens into distinct variants (such as the A. canescens var. glabrata) based on the amount of hairs and color of the leaves, however this further distinction is not typically accepted due to the wide variation in pubescence of the plant. [7]

Distribution and habitat

Amorpha canescens can be found in many locations throughout North America, ranging from southern parts of Canada south to Texas and New Mexico and spanning west to Montana and east to Michigan. [3] Leadplant is typically found in dry prairie and savanna communities [14] [4] Leadplant prefers drier, well-drained soil of many different textures including sandy, gravely, and rocky soils. [12] Finding leadplant indicates minimal livestock grazing and well-kept land that is not overgrown or that has experienced regular fire. [3] [15]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Trifolium incarnatum</i> Species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae

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<i>Filipendula rubra</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Amorpha californica</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Geum triflorum</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Oenothera fruticosa</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Lithospermum canescens</i> Species of flowering plant in the borage family Boraginaceae

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<i>Amorpha fruticosa</i> Species of flowering plant in the pea family

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<i>Zerene cesonia</i> Species of butterfly

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<i>Tephrosia virginiana</i> Species of legume

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<i>Penstemon grandiflorus</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae

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<i>Amorpha nana</i> Species of flowering plant in the pea family

Amorpha nana is a 1–3-foot (30–91 cm) tall perennial shrub in the Pea family (Fabaceae) which is native to North America. It has vibrant green pinnate leaves and clusters of purple flowers. The fruits are small pods. Dwarf false indigo grows in dry prairies and rocky hillsides. Amorpha nana likes rocky and sandy soil.

<i>Lespedeza leptostachya</i> Species of plant

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<i>Dalea purpurea</i> Species of legume

Dalea purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known as purple prairie clover. Native to central North America, purple prairie clover is a relatively common member of the Great Plains and prairie ecosystems. It blooms in the summer with dense spikes of bright purple flowers that attract many species of insects.

<i>Lespedeza capitata</i> Species of legume

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References

  1. NatureServe (2024). "Amorpha canescens". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  2. "Amorpha canescens Pursh". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Casey, P. A. (2011). "Plant Guide for leadplant (Amorpha canescens)" (PDF). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Manhattan Plant Materials Center. Manhattan, Kansas. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-02-12.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Slagle, Malinda W.; Hendrix, Stephen D. (2009-10-01). "Reproduction of Amorpha canescens (Fabaceae) and diversity of its bee community in a fragmented landscape". Oecologia. 161 (4): 813–823. Bibcode:2009Oecol.161..813S. doi:10.1007/s00442-009-1429-3. ISSN   0029-8549. PMID   19707794. S2CID   16683620.
  5. 1 2 3 Gardner, Harold W. (2011). Tallgrass prairie restoration in the Midwestern and Eastern United States : A hands-on guide. New York: Springer. pp. 154–155. ISBN   978-1-4419-7426-6.
  6. 1 2 3 "Amorpha canescens". Native Plant Database. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, University of Texas at Austin . Retrieved 2010-03-26.
  7. 1 2 3 Penskar, M.R. 2008. Special Plant Abstract for leadplant (Amorpha canescens). Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Lansing, MI. 4 pp.
  8. Lis, Anna; Adamczewska, Anna; Banaszczak, Piotr (2014-01-01). "Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil of Amorpha canescens Pursh". Journal of Oleo Science. 63 (12): 1269–1274. doi: 10.5650/jos.ess14152 . PMID   25452264.
  9. 1 2 Species account from Native American Ethnobotany (University of Michigan - Dearborn) Retrieved 2010-03-26
  10. Gilmore MR (1919) Uses of plants by the Indians of the Missouri River Region. Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, 33, 1-126.
  11. Hickman, Karen R.; Hartnett, David C. (2002-03-01). "Effects of grazing intensity on growth, reproduction, and abundance of three palatable forbs in Kansas tallgrass prairie". Plant Ecology. 159 (1): 23–33. doi:10.1023/A:1015534721939. ISSN   1385-0237. S2CID   23879535.
  12. 1 2 3 "Amorpha canescens" at the Encyclopedia of Life
  13. NPWRC :: Leadplants (Amorpha canescens) Archived July 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2010-03-26.
  14. "DNR - Lead Plant or Prairie Shoestring (Amorpha canescens)". www.michigan.gov. Retrieved 2017-04-19.
  15. Gibson, David J. (1988-01-01). "Regeneration and Fluctuation of Tallgrass Prairie Vegetation in Response to Burning Frequency". Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club. 115 (1): 1–12. doi:10.2307/2996561. JSTOR   2996561.

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