''Amorpha'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. All the species are native to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, from southern

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, most of the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

(US), and northern

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. 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 The Faboideae are a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. An acceptable alternative name for the subfamily is Papilionoideae, or Papilionaceae when this group of plants is treated as a family. This subfamily is widely ...

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 West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

and in the

Canadian province Canada has ten provinces and three territories that are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Constitution of Canada, Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North Amer ...

s of

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

and

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, but is considered an

invasive plant An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native speci ...

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 Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

. The lead plant ('' Amorpha canescens''), a bushy shrub, is an important North American

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

legume Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...

. 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

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

species including '' Schinia lucens'', which feeds exclusively on the genus. Amorphol, a

rotenoid Rotenoids are naturally occurring substances containing a cis-fused tetrahydrochromeno ,4-bhromene nucleus. Many have insecticidal and piscicidal activity, such as the prototypical member of the family, rotenone. Rotenoids are related to the is ...

bioside, can be isolated from plants of the genus ''Amorpha''.

Species

''Amorpha'' comprises the following species: Amorpha fruticosa-flowers

* '' Amorpha apiculata'' Wiggins * '' Amorpha californica'' Torr. & A. Gray—California false indigo, mock locust ** var. ''californica'' Torr. & A. Gray ** var. ''napensis'' Jeps. * '' Amorpha canescens'' Pursh—leadplant * '' Amorpha confusa'' (Wilbur) S.C.K. Straub, Sorrie & Weakley * '' Amorpha crenulata'' Rydb.Some sources treat ''Amorpha crenulata'' as a synonym (variety) of ''Amorpha herbacea''. (endangered) * '' Amorpha fruticosa'' L.—desert false indigo * '' Amorpha georgiana'' Wilbur—Georgia false indigo * '' Amorpha glabra'' Desf. ex Pers.—mountain false indigo * '' Amorpha herbacea'' Walter—clusterspike false indigo ** var. ''herbacea'' Walter ** var. ''floridana'' (Rydb.) Wilbur * '' Amorpha laevigata'' Nutt.—smooth false indigo * '' Amorpha nana'' Nutt.—dwarf false indigo * '' Amorpha nitens'' Boynton—shining false indigo * '' Amorpha ouachitensis'' Wilbur—Ouachita false indigo * '' Amorpha paniculata'' Torr. & A.Gray—panicled false indigo * '' Amorpha roemeriana'' Scheele—Roemer's false indigo * '' Amorpha schwerinii'' C.K. Schneid.—Schwerin'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 crocea'' hort. ex Lavallée * ''Amorpha dealbata'' hort. ex Lavallée * ''Amorpha discolor'' Raf. * ''Amorpha elata'' Hayne * ''Amorpha elatior'' hort. ex Lavallée * ''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 ludoviciana'' hort. ex Lavallée * ''Amorpha ludwigii'' K.Koch * ''Amorpha lutea'' Raf. * ''Amorpha macrophyla'' Raf. * ''Amorpha marginata'' hort. ex Lavallée * ''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.

Species

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

Hybrids

References

External links