Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Vine, trailing or climbing via tendrils, 3 to 7 feet long, glabrous, waxy, conspicuously 2-winged; wings 1/5 to 2/5 inch wide.
- Leaves
- Alternate, pinnate, rachis extending into forked tendril; leaflets 2, lanceolate to elliptic or oblong, 1.6 to 6 inches long, .5 to 1.2 inches wide, glabrous; stipules lanceolate to ovate, 1/2 to 3 inches long, 1/6 to 2/5 inch wide; stalks broadly 2-winged
- Inflorescence
- Raceme, 5- to 15-flowered, on stalk 4 to 8 inches long.
- Flower
- Showy, odorless; stalk 1/2 to 1 inch long; calyx bell-shaped, 1/6 to 1/4 inch long; lobes 5, unequal; corolla papilionaceous, 1/2 to 1 inch long, pinkish-purple, rose or white, sometimes stripped; banner nearly as wide as long; stamens 10, 9 united, 1 free.
- Fruit
- Pods, linear, 2.5 to 4 inches long, 1/4 to 2/5 inch wide, flattened, glabrous, 10-15 seeded; seeds oblong, 1/5 inch long, dark brown, surface rough.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Fence rows, roadsides, waste places; frequently near farms or homes.
- Distribution
- East 2/3 of Kansas.
Practical Information
- Toxicity
- Seeds are poisonous.
Additional Notes
Comments
Very hardy. Will form a dense mat 18 to 30 inches thick when there is nothing for it to climb on. May become weedy or invasive in some habitats.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Fabaceae - Bean Family
- Life Span
- Perennial
- Height
- Trailing or climbing vine to 7 feet
- Origin
- Introduced
- Last Updated
- 2008-02-27
Color Groups
Pink, Red & Orange Wildflowers
Blue, Purple, Lavender & Violet Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: June, July, August