Amorpha Georgiana

''Amorpha'' is a genus of plants in the Fabaceae, 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 species, 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 species, 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 in the United States, 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, 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. 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.

Hybrids

The following hybrid has been described:
* ''Amorpha × notha'' E.J.Palmer

References

External links

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{{Authority control

Amorpha,
Fabaceae genera
Flora of the Nearctic realm