Amorpha

Amorpha is a genus of plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. All the species are native to North America, from southern Canada, most of the United States (US), and northern Mexico. They are commonly known as false indigo. The name Amorpha means "deformed" or "without form" in Greek and was given because flowers of this genus only have one petal, unlike the usual "pea-shaped" flowers of the Faboideae subfamily. Amorpha is missing the wing and keel petals.

The desert false indigo or indigo bush (Amorpha fruticosa), is a shrub that grows from 3 m to 5 m tall. The species is considered a rare species in the US state of West Virginia and in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario, but is considered an invasive plant in some areas of the northeastern and northwestern United States and in southeastern Canada, beyond its native range, and has also been introduced into Europe.

The lead plant (Amorpha canescens), a bushy shrub, is an important North American prairie legume. Lead plant is often associated with little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), a common prairie grass. Native Americans used the dried leaves of lead plant for pipe smoking and tea.

Amorpha species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia lucens, which feeds exclusively on the genus.

Amorphol, a rotenoid bioside, can be isolated from plants of the genus Amorpha.

Species

Amorpha comprises the following species:

Amorpha apiculata Wiggins

Amorpha californica Torr. & A. GrayÃ¢ÂÂCalifornia false indigo, mock locust
var. californica Torr. & A. Gray
var. napensis Jeps.
Amorpha canescens PurshÃ¢ÂÂleadplant
Amorpha confusa (Wilbur) S.C.K. Straub, Sorrie & Weakley
Amorpha crenulata Rydb. (endangered)

Amorpha fruticosa L.Ã¢ÂÂdesert false indigo
Amorpha georgiana WilburÃ¢ÂÂGeorgia false indigo
Amorpha glabra Desf. ex Pers.Ã¢ÂÂmountain false indigo

Amorpha herbacea WalterÃ¢ÂÂclusterspike false indigo
var. herbacea Walter
var. floridana (Rydb.) Wilbur

Amorpha laevigata Nutt.Ã¢ÂÂsmooth false indigo

Amorpha nana Nutt.Ã¢ÂÂdwarf false indigo
Amorpha nitens BoyntonÃ¢ÂÂshining false indigo

Amorpha ouachitensis WilburÃ¢ÂÂOuachita false indigo

Amorpha paniculata Torr. & A.GrayÃ¢ÂÂpanicled false indigo

Amorpha roemeriana ScheeleÃ¢ÂÂRoemer's false indigo
Amorpha schwerinii C.K. Schneid.Ã¢ÂÂSchwerin's false indigo

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

The status of the following species is unresolved:

Amorpha arborea Schkuhr
Amorpha californica Nutt.
Amorpha coerulea Lodd.
Amorpha colorata Raf.
Amorpha discolor Raf.
Amorpha elata Hayne
Amorpha flexuosa Raf.
Amorpha gaertneri K.Koch
Amorpha gardneri K.Koch
Amorpha glauca Raf.
Amorpha incana Engelm.
Amorpha laevigata Nutt.
Amorpha lewisii Lodd. ex Loudon
Amorpha ludwigii K.Koch
Amorpha lutea Raf.
Amorpha macrophyla Raf.
Amorpha mimosifolia Voss
Amorpha nana Nutt.
Amorpha nonperforata Schkuhr
Amorpha ornata Wender.
Amorpha pedalis Blanco
Amorpha perforata Schkuhr
Amorpha rabiae Lex.
Amorpha retusa Raf.
Amorpha sensitiva Voss
Amorpha tenesseensis Schult.
Amorpha tomentosa Raf.
Amorpha verrucosa Raf.

Amorpha

Species

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

Hybrids

References

External links