Cassia fasciculata var. fasciculata
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Authority
Isley, Duane. 1975. Leguminosae of the United States: II. Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 25 (2): 1-228.
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Family
Caesalpiniaceae
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Scientific Name
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Discussion
Chamaecrista fasciculata (Michx.) Greene (1897) Chamaecrista depressa (Poll.) Greene (1897) Chamaecrista robusta (Poll.) Poll, ex Hell. (1900) Cassia fasciculata var. robusta (Poll.) Macbride (1919) Cassia fasciculata var. macrosperma Fern. (1940) Throughout range of species except w extremity (var. rostrata), se Texas and sc coastal areas (war.puberula), diluted s in peninsular Florida (var. brachiata). Open woodland and margins, prairies, coastal sands, roadsides, abandoned fields, and other ruderal areas; usually sandy soil. Abundant and conspicuous. (May-)June-Sept.(-Oct.). Partridge pea. The var.fasciculata is the relatively homogeneous major bulk of this species. It is the common, attractive partridge pea of most wildflower books of the eastern United States. It is slightly in cultivation as an ornamental, is esteemed for wildlife food, and as a pioneer species in soil-holding and green manure. In most of its range, var .fasciculata flowers in midsummer, but in the south it may start blooming in May, followed by late summer flowering if there are appropriate rains. Evident variation relates to levels of vigor, growth habit, presence (and degree) or absence of pilose pubescence, flower size, color of anthers, size and stipitation of the gland. Vigor and growth habit (strict to diffusely branching) appear largely environmentally or ecotypically controlled. Pullen (1963) has demonstrated environmental effect on branching. I discern no evident pattern in gland variance and flower size. The anthers are usually yellowish tending towards red in the western part of the range. However, diagnostic consistency even in the east is a mirage; some colonies have mixed yellow and red anthers; others are red basally or on one side. Pubescence variation has some regional correlation and is provided nomenclatural recognition by most authors. It is the primary basis of the following discussion.