Stylosanthes biflora (Linnaeus) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenburg. Common name: Pencil-flower. Phenology: Jun-Aug; Jul-Oct. Habitat: Longleaf pine sandhills, dry to moist (but not wet) pine savannas and flatwoods, dry forests, woodlands, woodland borders, glades, barrens, rock outcrops. Distribution: S. NY west to OH, s. IL, and KS, south to c. peninsular FL and e. TX.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: Mohlenbrock (1957) studied variation in this species and did not choose to recognize variation taxonomically (see synonymy); a modern re-evaluation is perhaps warranted.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, FNA11.1, GrPl, Il, K1, K3, K4, NcTx, NY, Pa, RAB, SE3, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV, Isely (1998), Mohlenbrock (1957); > Stylosanthes biflora (L.) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenb. var. biflora – F, G, S, S13, Tat; > Stylosanthes biflora (L.) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenb. var. hispidissima (Michx.) Pollard & Ball – F, G, S, S13, Tat; > Stylosanthes riparia Kearney – G, S, S13, Tat; > Stylosanthes riparia Kearney var. riparia – F; > Stylosanthes riparia Kearney var. setifera Fernald – F
Links to other floras: = Stylosanthes biflora - FNA11.1
Heliophily ⓘ: 7
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect to sprawling perennial of sandhills, dry to moist (but not wet) pine savannas and flatwoods, dry forests, woodlands, woodland borders, glades, barrens and rock outcrops.
Stems: Stems branched from the base, sometimes prostrate, usually covered with long, stiff, reddish hairs.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, on petioles with stipules that sheath the stem, divided into 3 elliptic to lance-shaped leaflets, each ½-1½ in. long with a sharp tip and usually very hairy.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in terminal and axillary clusters of 2-6, yellow, about 1/3 in. long, with typical pea-flower shape, including an erect "banner" petal that is often streaked with red.
Fruits: Fruit a hairy, sessile, oval pod with 2 segments.
Comments:
Height: 4-20 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect to sprawling perennial of sandhills, dry to moist (but not wet) pine savannas and flatwoods, dry forests, woodlands, woodland borders, glades, barrens and rock outcrops.
stems: Stems branched from the base, sometimes prostrate, usually covered with long, stiff, reddish hairs.
leaves: Leaves alternate, on petioles with stipules that sheath the stem, divided into 3 elliptic to lance-shaped leaflets, each ½-1½ in. long with a sharp tip and usually very hairy.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in terminal and axillary clusters of 2-6, yellow, about 1/3 in. long, with typical pea-flower shape, including an erect "banner" petal that is often streaked with red.
fruits: Fruit a hairy, sessile, oval pod with 2 segments.
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States