Amorpha

Amorpha is a genus of plants in the 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 plant 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.
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 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 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. (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
Fabaceae genera
Nearctic realm flora