Pediomelum cuspidatum (Pursh) Rydb.
-
Authority
Grimes, J. E. 1990. A revision of the New World species of Psoraleeae (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 61: 1-114.
-
Family
Fabaceae
-
Scientific Name
-
Description
Species Description - Prostrate to semi-erect, much branched perennial herbs, glandular throughout, uniformly strigose when young, or somewhat hirsute but with hairs less than 2 mm , glabrate with age; stems arising from the apex of, or lateral to, the enlarged apical portion of a deep woody taproot, the swollen portion to 30 x 3 cm, this rarely branched and stems arising from swollen portions of these lateral root-branches, all enlarged portions with exfoliating epidermis; pseudoscapes lacking or to 14 cm, covered with exfoliating epidermis; stems one to few, green or stramineous, becoming purplish and fistulose when especially large, pseudoscapes and sometimes first few nodes of stems occasionally with cataphylls to 13 mm , these triangular, obviously veined, pubescent on apex and margins, sometimes bifid. Stipules erect, or commonly arcuate to reflexed, the lower ones lanceolate or more often linearlanceolate, 6-15 X 1-5 mm , the upper ones linear, rarely as much as 2.5 mm wide, rarely broadly truncate, dorsally glandular with light to dark brown glands, always pubescent on margins and apex, ventrally minutely pubescent at apex, uniformly either green or stramineous, or stramineous basally and green distally, free, persistent. Leaves palmately 3- or 5-foliolate, the 3-foliolate ones appearing on younger grow1;h; petioles 0.5-4.1 cm, terete to more often canaliculate, enlarged at base but not jointed to stem and only rarely of different color and texture; petiolules 1.5-3.5 mm , blond, usually more densely pubescent than petiole; leaflets oblanceolate, elliptic, obovate, oblong, or rarely lanceolate, 2.0-4.8 X 0.6-2.0 cm, acuminate, acute or obtuse, sometimes apiculate, cuneate at base, glabrous on upper surface except on margins and covered with dark brown glands, on lower surface uniformly sparingly to densely pubescent with hairs to 0.5 mm and less densely glandular. Inflorescence short- to long-ellipsoid, with (2-)6-17 nodes and three flowers per node, peduncle, rachis, and pedicels continuing to enlarge through fruiting; peduncle 0.6-15.0 cm, first node rarely with a simple bracteiform leaf to 40 x 13 mm; rachis 1.5-8.5 cm, internodes to 13 mm; bracts erect or in age deflexed, caudate, lanceolate, 4-17 x 1-6 mm, pubescent and glandular, strongly persistent; pedicels 2-3 mm, elongating to 4.5 mm in fruit. Flowers 12-22 m m; calyx pubescent and glandular, though less so on gibbose portion, 8-12 mm long to upper teeth, 9-15 mm long to lower tooth, the tube 4-5.5 mm, the upper and lateral teeth lanceolate, 4-7 x 1-1.5 mm, the lower one lanceolate, elliptic or slightly oblanceolate, 8-19 X 2-3.5 mm, all internally minutely pubescent, the calyx in fruit strongly gibbose-campanulate, with veins to the apex of each tooth and to each sinus, these latter bifurcating and produced as faint submarginal nerves about Vi the length of the tooth; petals uniformly blue, purple, or violet; banner broadly oblanceolate to obovate, 13-21 x 7-8 mm , the broad claw 4-6 mm, the blade emarginate, biauriculate, the auricles internally callose; wings 12-18.5 x 3-4 mm, the claw 4-7.5 mm, the auricle 1.5-2 mm; keel petals 9-13 x 4-7 mm, the claw 2.5-3 mm; androecium 8-12 mm, anthers elliptic, 0.5 mm; gynoecium 8-11.5 mm, ovary glabrous to pubescent on upper 1/4- 1/3, style pubescent at base. Fruit body obovate in profile, 6-8 x 4-4.5 mm, glandular and pubescent on upper 1/4, abruptly contracted to a short beak to 2 mm , this glandular and shorter than calyx teeth. Seed round to reniform, 4.5-5 x 3.5 -4 mm, red to red-brown.
-
Discussion
Holotypus PH! isotypus B M ! Lotodes cuspidatum (Pursh) Kuntze, Revis. gen. pi. 1: 194. 1891.
Psoralea cryptocarpa Torr. & A. Gray, R. N. Amer. 1: 301. 1838. Syntypi "Arkansas, Leavenworth", NY! "Texas, Drummond", BM! GOET! K! NY! US! (probable) K!
Pediomelum caudatum Rydb., N. Amer. R. 24: 19. 1919. "In sandy soil, Dallas County, May, Reverchon [Curtiss' distribution no. 563]." Holotypus NY! isotypi BM! K! N Y (2)! US! Psoralea caudata (Rydb.) Cory, Rhodora 38: 406. 1936.
Pediomelum parksii Tharp & F. Barkley, Madroiio 8: 49. 1945. "Childress County, Texas, July, 1929, Biology Class s.n." Holotypus TEX! photos M O ! TEX
Turner (1959) noted populations in south-central Texas that have short unbranched stems and broad ovate stipules. These undoubtedly represent the species n ow segregated as P. latestipulatum (Shinners) Mahler. Disregarding these, P. cuspidatum remains variable in regard to inflorescence length, plant height and especially flower size. However, the variability is not discrete, and the characters correlate neither among themselves nor with geography.
-
Distribution
A species of sandy, loamy or rocky soils, often on limestone and gypsum substrates, in open meadows, on prairies, rocky slopes and bluffs or in woodlands from 50-1500 m , on the Great Plains from South Dakota to Texas. R. IV-VI. Map, Fig. 25.
United States of America North America|