''Thermopsis rhombifolia'', also known as prairie thermopsis, is a flowering plant in the legume family. It is native to North America, where it is found in the Great Plains, with extensions into the lower canyons of the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in straight-line distance from the northernmost part of western Canada, to New Mexico ...

. Its natural habitat is dry grasslands and woodlands. It is a perennial herb that produces yellow flowers in the spring.

Usage

The flowers were commonly used by the natives as a source of yellow dye and were boiled in a

tea Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of southwestern China and north ...

as a cure for stomach ailments for people and

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...

s. The plant has

toxic Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subs ...

properties if ingested; symptoms of poisoning include

vomiting Vomiting (also known as emesis and throwing up) is the involuntary, forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose. Vomiting can be the result of ailments like food poisoning, gastroenteri ...

dizziness Dizziness is an imprecise term that can refer to a sense of disorientation in space, vertigo, or lightheadedness. It can also refer to disequilibrium or a non-specific feeling, such as giddiness or foolishness. Dizziness is a common medical c ...

, and

abdominal The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the torso ...

pain.Case series of Thermopsis exposure
Retrieved 25 April 2006

References

Sophoreae Flora of the Great Plains (North America) Flora of Western Canada Flora of the Western United States Flora of the United States Flora of the Rocky Mountains Flora of Colorado Flora of Montana Flora of New Mexico Flora of Wyoming Plants used in traditional Native American medicine Garden plants of North America Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Sophoreae-stub