Intro: Erect, bushy annual of fields (especially soybean), roadsides and other disturbed habitats. This species probably originated in the New World Tropics.

Stems: Stems light green and often ridged, branched; lower part of the stem often sprawls along the ground.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, pinnately divided into 2--4 pairs of oblong-oval leaflets with bluntly rounded tips, each to about 1½ in. long (terminal leaflet pair largest), pale beneath and smooth on both surfaces. Close to the lowest pair of leaflets is a nectar gland resembling a small brown spike.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers single or in pairs, gently nodding on stalks arising from upper leaf axils; rach flower yellow, about 1 in. wide, consisting of 5 rounded and usually unequal petals, 5 light green folded sepals and 10 stamens.

Fruits: Fruit a curved, slender, 4-sided pod that begins forming before petals drop.

Comments: The foliage has a slightly rank odor.

Height: 1-2 1/2 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect, bushy annual of fields (especially soybean), roadsides and other disturbed habitats. This species probably originated in the New World Tropics.

stems: Stems light green and often ridged, branched; lower part of the stem often sprawls along the ground.

leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, pinnately divided into 2--4 pairs of oblong-oval leaflets with bluntly rounded tips, each to about 1½ in. long (terminal leaflet pair largest), pale beneath and smooth on both surfaces. Close to the lowest pair of leaflets is a nectar gland resembling a small brown spike.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers single or in pairs, gently nodding on stalks arising from upper leaf axils; rach flower yellow, about 1 in. wide, consisting of 5 rounded and usually unequal petals, 5 light green folded sepals and 10 stamens.

fruits: Fruit a curved, slender, 4-sided pod that begins forming before petals drop.

comments: The foliage has a slightly rank odor.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: