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Key to Chamaecrista

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1 Shrub with gray bark; [s. TX]; [series Greggianae]  Chamaecrista greggii var. greggii

1 Herb (annual or perennial, the perennials sometimes suffrutescent), green or reddish; [collectively widespread].

2 Leaflets 1 pair per leaf, asymmetrically obovate, < 1.7× as long as wide; [series Bauhinianae]  Chamaecrista rotundifolia var. rotundifolia

2 Leaflets 2-25 pairs per leaf, obliquely oblong, 2-7× as long as wide.

3 Leaflets 2-8 (-11) pairs per leaf, with never more than 11 pairs even on the larger and better-developed leaves; [FL and TX].

4 Flowers > 1.9 cm in diameter, the long petal 11-15 mm long; [s. FL]; [series Chamaecrista]  Chamaecrista keyensis

4 Flowers < 1.8 cm in diameter, the long petal 3-7 mm long; [FL or TX]

5 Leaflets usually 7-9 pairs per leaf; [s. and e. TX]; [series Caliciopsis]  Chamaecrista calycioides var. calycioides

5 Leaflets 2-6 leaflets per leaf; [FL]; perennial herbs from a blackish taproot, the several stems radiating from the crown; [series Prostratae]

6 Functional stamens of the outer whorl 5, the inner whorl of 2-3 reduced or rudimentary stamens; stipule bases cordate and auriculate; hairs of the stem both incurved and setose, the setae (1-) 1.5-4.; 5 (-5) mm long  Chamaecrista pilosa var. pilosa

6 Functional stamens 10, the outer whorl larger than the inner whorl, but both whorls of 5 functional stamens; stipule bases slightly oblique; hairs of the stem both incurved and setose, the setae to 1.4 (-1.8) mm long  Chamaecrista serpens var. serpens

3 Leaflets 5-32 pairs per leaf, at least the larger and better-developed leaves with > 11 pairs.

7 Corolla 0.8-1.0 cm in diameter, the larger petals 4-7 (-8) mm long; functional stamens 4-8; fruits (15-) 18-32 (-36) mm long.

8 Petiole pilose with yellowish hairs 1-2 (-3) mm long; petiolar gland cylindric or clavate; functional stamens 5-8; leaflets 5-6× as long as wide  Chamaecrista nictitans var. aspera

Show caption*© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward                8 Petiole incurved-puberulent with hairs 0-0.8 mm long; petiolar gland stalked-cupuliform or stalked-discoid; functional stamens 4-5; leaflets 3-5× as long as wide  Chamaecrista nictitans var. nictitans

7 Corolla 2.0-3.5 cm in diameter, the larger petals 12-20 mm long; functional stamens 10; fruits 25-75 (-85) mm long.

9 Perennial from a horizontal woody root or crown; stems usually clustered, and variously prostrate, decumbent, ascending, or erect; peduncles axillary, or supra-axillary by adnation 0-10 (-15) mm above the node.

10 Pedicels 0-10 (-15) mm long; [s. and se. TX].

11 Peduncles supra-axillary, used to the stem for (-) 1-10 (-15) mm above the node; pedicels 5-10 (-15) mm long; styles 3.5-6 mm long; [series Chamaecrista]  Chamaecrista chamaecristoides var. cruziana

11 Peduncles strictly axillary; pedicels 0-4 mm long; styles 4-9 mm long; [series Flexuosae]  Chamaecrista flexuosa var. texana

10 Pedicels (6-) 8-22 (-26) mm long; [FL, s. AL, sw. GA, se. MS]; [series Chamaecrista].

12 Horizontal root to ca. 20+ cm long; anthers dark red to purple-red, sometimes yellow towards the base; flowering year-round, but especially Mar-Aug; [pine rocklands of s. FL]  Chamaecrista deeringiana

12 Horizontal root to ca. 46+ cm long; anthers yellow to yellow-brown; flowering late May-early Aug; [sandy and clayey pine and oak woodlands of s. AL, sw. GA, se. MS, and the w. FL panhandle]  Chamaecrista horizontalis

9 Annual from a taproot; stems solitary (rarely several), ascending to erect; peduncles adnate to the stem 1-26 mm above the node (appearing to diverge from the stem in the internode); [series Chamaecrista].

13 Pods 6.5-10 mm wide; seeds 4.7-6.3 mm across; [of tidal marshes in e. VA]  Chamaecrista fasciculata var. macrosperma

13 Pods 3-5 (-6.5) mm wide; seeds (2.8-) 3.2-4.8 mm across; [widespread geographically and ecologically].

14 Surface of leaflets pubescent; [from w. Panhandle FL and s. AL westward]  Chamaecrista fasciculata var. 1

14 Surface of leaflets glabrous; [collectively widespread in our area].

15 Petiolar gland depressed, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, raised at both ends; pods 6-10 cm long; plant usually glabrous or glabrescent, to 24 dm tall  Chamaecrista fasciculata var. brachiata

15 Petiolar gland not depressed, <1.5 mm wide; pods 4-6 cm long; plant usually pubescent, to 10 dm tall  Chamaecrista fasciculata var. fasciculata