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smooth false indigo

Scientific Name: Amorpha laevigata

Family: Fabaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Shrub

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Desert False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) and Other False Indigos

This page provides information about the Desert False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) and related False Indigo species, including characteristics, distribution, and potential interactions with the environment.

Considerations for Pets

  • The text mentions that the Desert False Indigo is a shrub. Shrubs can sometimes pose a physical hazard to pets if they have rough bark or branches.

Considerations for Children

  • The text mentions that the Desert False Indigo is a shrub. Shrubs can sometimes pose a physical hazard to children if they have rough bark or branches.

Nomenclature and Taxonomy

  • Scientific Name: Amorpha fruticosa
  • Common Names: Desert False Indigo, Indigo Bush
  • Family: Fabaceae (implied from "desert false indigo Fabaceae Amorpha fruticosa")
  • Taxonomic Rank: Species
  • Synonyms/Related Species:
    • Amorpha laevigata (Smooth False Indigo)
    • Amorpha nana (Dwarf False Indigo)
    • Baptisia lactea (White False Indigo/White Wild Indigo)
    • Baptisia australis (Blue False Indigo)
    • Amorpha nitens (Smooth False Indigo)

Distribution and Habitat

  • The Desert False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) grows in river-washed areas and open woods, with presence along the Potomac in Maryland.
  • Amorpha nitens (Smooth False Indigo) is documented from Kentucky and Arkansas and is listed as endangered in Illinois and Georgia.

Morphological Characteristics

  • The Desert False Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) is a shrub, often multi-stemmed and suckering, reaching up to 10 feet in height.
  • Stems can be woody at the base. Older stems may have bark that peels.
  • Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound, grey-green, and trifoliate (divided into three leaflets). Leaflets can be smooth or hairy.
  • Flowers are purple and fragrant, arranged in spires.

Ecology and Interactions

  • Mentioned as a plant beneficial to native bees and Monarch gardens.

Resources and Further Information

  • Dave's Garden (for gardening tips and ideas)
  • Discover Life (for biology, natural history, and ecology information)
  • ISM Herbarium (for Amorpha nitens specimen distribution)
  • Plantilla:Plantae Mundi/Fuentes/ITRE (unspecified information, possibly related to distribution in the United States)