Neptunia lutea (Leavenw.) Benth.
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Authority
Isley, Duane. 1973. Leguminosae of the United States: I. Subfamily. Mimosoideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (1): 1-152.
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Family
Mimosaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Stems several, prostrate, slender, to 1 m or more, usually conspicuously hirsutulous (hairs to .5 mm) to glabrate. Pinnae (2-)4-5(-9) pairs; leaflets 9-14(-18) pairs, short-oblong, 3-4 mm, nearly symmetric, ciliate, with weak to moderate secondary venation. Stipules membranous, lanceolate, to 4 mm. Flowers in ovoid to short-cylindric, bright-yellow heads, ca 2 cm long, 1.5 cm wide with subulate, deciduous bracts; peduncles to 2 cm. Calyx ca 1 mm, the lobes not conspicuously nerved; petals 2-3 mm, not striate; stamens functional; pistil lacking in lower flowers. Legume stipe exceeding the calyx, 4-10(-14) mm; body broadly oblong, flat, 2.5-5 cm long, 10-15 mm wide, distally rounded or apiculate.
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Discussion
N 2n = 28 (Turner & Fearing, 1960b). The staminode-bearing flowers of N. pubescens tend to be lost in age, and specimens lacking good fruit are often confused with N. lutea. The stems of N. lutea are usually conspicuously hirsutulous whereas those of N. pubescens, except locally in southern Texas, are inconspicuously pubescent to glabrate. Furthermore, N. lutea has fewer leaflets, its shorter calyx less strongly nerved, and the corolla scarcely striate.
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Distribution
E Texas to c Oklahoma, sporadically e to w Alabama. Moist or dry woodlands, pine savanas, creek bottoms to dry prairies and meadows; ruderal areas (e.g., roadsides); slightly in cultivation (Bailey & Bailey, 1941: "grown ... in borders"). (April) May-July (Sept.).
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