False Indigo

Amorpha fruticosa

Photographed along Mesquite Wash (near a lower elevation stretch of the Mazatzal Mountains Sycamore Creek), e. Maricopa Co., Arizona. May 2008.

FLOWERS: Numerous, small, dark purple flowers in a long, dense spike. Each of the small flowers has ten, conspicuously yellow stamens and just one dark purple petal.

LEAVES: Leaves are long-pinnately compound. The formula is odd, i.e. there is a terminal leaflet in addition to the pairs. Crushed foliage is malodorous.

SHRUB: Woody shrub with upper portions largely herbaceous. Upright stems often exceed two meters in height. May form thickets with many stems arising from ground level.

RANGE: False Indigo occurs sporadically in riparian habitats across Arizona growing mostly in clearings where there is a good underground water supply. This plant can also be found in sporadic locations across much of North Amercia.

FRUIT: Small, indehiscent bean-pods with just a single bean. The seeds have been found to contain a class of chemicals known as rotenoids which may have application in treating tumors.

UNARMED

Fabaceae -- Bean Family

More Information:

• Jepson Manual
• Missouri Plants
• USDA Plant Profile
• ITIS Taxonomic Report
• Google Images
• Google Scholar Literature Search

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