Aeschynomene americana L.
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Authority
Rudd, Velva E. 1955. The American species of Aeschynomene. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 32: 1-172.
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Family
Fabaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Stem to about 2 m. high, usually erect, sometimes weakly so, subglabrous to hispid; stipules glabrous or somewhat hispid at the point of attachment, (5-) 10-25 mm. long, 1-4 mm. wide, usually ciliate; leaves 2-7 cm. long, 20-60-foliolate; leaflets 4-15 mm. long, 1—2 mm. wide; inflorescences few-flowered, about as long as the subtending leaves or longer, the axes sometimes flexuous, hispidulous; bracts cordate, acuminate or sometimes truncate-flabelliform, about 2-4 mm. long, 2—3 mm. wide, glabrous, ciliate; bracteoles linear to linear-ovate, 2-4 mm long, 1-1.5 mm. wide, acute to acuminate, glabrous, serrate-ciliate; flowers 5-10 mm. long; calyx 3-6 mm. long, glabrous to sparsely hispid; petals commonly 5-10 mm. long, clawed, the standard suborbiculate to broadly obcordate, 5-10 mm. wide, often ciliate at the apex, otherwise entire, the wing blades obliquely oblong, 5—8 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, entire or with a few cilia at the apex, the keel blades 4-5 mm. long, 2.5-3.5 mm. wide at the maximum; stamens about 6-8 mm. long; fruit 3-9- (commonly 6—8-) articulate, the articles 2.5—5 mm. wide, 3-6 mm. long, glabrous to puberulent, sometimes with development of glandular hairs on the surface or along the margins, often verrucose when fully mature, the margins thickened, the venation prominent along the margins; seeds 2-3 mm. long, 1.5-2 mm. wide, dark brown.