| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual to tree
Leaves generally compound, alternate, stipuled; leaflets generally entire
Inflorescence: generally raceme, spike, umbel or head; flowers sometime 1–2 in axils
Flowers generally bisexual, generally bilateral; hypanthium generally flat or cup-like; sepals generally 5, fused; petals generally 5, free, or the 2 lower ± fused; stamens 1–many, often 10 with 9 filaments at least partly fused, 1 (uppermost) free; pistil 1, ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, ovules 1–many, style, stigma 1
Fruit: legume, sometimes including a stalk-like base above receptacle, dehiscent, or indehiscent and breaking into 1-seeded segments, or indehiscent, 1-seeded, and achene-like
Seeds 1–several, often ± reniform, generally hard, smooth
Genera in family: ± 650 genera, 18,000 species: worldwide; with grasses, requisite in agriculture and most natural ecosystems. Many cultivated, most importantly Arachis , peanut; Glycine , soybean; Phaseolus , beans; Medicago ; Trifolium ; and many orns
Reference: [Polhill & Raven (eds) 1981 Advances in legume systematics; Allen & Allen 1981 Leguminosae]
Family description and key to genera by Duane Isely.
Perennial, shrub; thorns axillary; rhizome spreading
Leaves simple, small
Inflorescence: raceme, axillary; main axis a thorn
Flower: 9 filaments fused, 1 free
Fruit indehiscent, oblong, round in X -section, narrowed between seeds
Species in genus: ± 3 species: Medit, w Asia
Etymology: (Arabic: pilgrim)
| Introduced |
Stem much-branched, 3–10 dm, greenish
Leaf 7–20 mm, elliptic or obovate
Flower: corolla 8–9 mm, red-purple
Fruit 1–3 cm, narrowed between seeds, becoming glabrous; stalk-like base short
Chromosomes: 2n=16
Ecology: Uncommon. Arid agricultural areas
Elevation: especially < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Great Central Valley, s East of Sierra Nevada, Desert
Distribution outside California: sporadic to w Texas; native to w Asia
Flowering time: Jun–Jul
Synonyms: A. camelorum Fisch.; A. maurorum Medik
Desert forage, source of manna. Weedy.