Angiosperms: Dicotyledons

Fabaceae
Legume Family

• Stem: perennial; 2 1/2’ to 3’ tall with a flower stalk to 6’; branching to become shrublike, smooth.
• Leaves: alternate; compound leaves 1 1/2” by 2” on 1/2” leaf stalks; three leaflets, the middle one 1 1/2” by 5/8”, nearly oval; smooth above and below; turning black at the end of the season.
• Inflorescence: one or two racemes 2’ or more long with numerous flowers about 1/2” apart; projecting above the leaves.
• Flowers: corolla white to cream, 3/4” to 7/8” long on 1/2” stalks; calyx 1/4” to 3/8” long, wide-spreading tips produce a cup that persists into fruiting; flowering from mid-June to mid-July.
• Fruits: inflated pods, 1” long by 1/2” in diameter; smooth; turning black at maturity; fruiting begins in late June.
• Habitat: frequent on low to upland prairies; sometimes found on roadsides and other open sites.
• Notes: Weevils often eat the seeds in the pods before the seeds mature.
• Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library