Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Erect or ascending, single or much branched from base, usually branching above, silky-hairy.
- Leaves
- Alternate, short-stalked, odd-pinnately compound, 1 to 3 inches long, 1/4 to 1 inch wide; leaflets 15-31, elliptic to obovate, 1/4 to 3/4 inch long, silky-hairy, often folded lengthwise; margins entire; tips pointed or blunt.
- Inflorescence
- Racemes, 1.5 to 4 inches long, loosely- to densely-flowered, on stalks in leaf axils near ends of branches.
- Flower
- 5-parted, up to 1/2 inch long; calyces swollen on 1 side, stiff-hairy, often purplish; corollas papilionaceous, white to cream; banner conspicuous, wider above middle; wings asymmetrical; stamens 10, separate.
- Fruit
- Pods, 1 to 2.75 inches long, beaked, constricted between seeds; seeds 1-7, smooth, olive-green or brown.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Dry prairie hills, plains, stream valleys, and roadsides.
- Distribution
- Principally west 1/2 of Kansas.
Practical Information
- Toxicity
- The foliage and seeds are thought to be toxic to livestock.
- Uses
- Native Americans chewed the sweet-tasting roots.
Additional Notes
Comments
Silky sophora often forms extensive colonies. It resembles milk-vetches (Astragalus ssp.) but differs in having 10 stamens that are separate and a keel that is beaked rather than rounded.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Fabaceae - Bean Family
- Life Span
- Perennial
- Height
- 4-20 inches
- Last Updated
- 2007-10-20
Color Groups
White, Green & Greenish White Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: April, May, June