Click the number at the start of a key lead to highlight both that lead and its corresponding lead. Click again to show only the two highlighted leads. Click a third time to return to the full key with the selected leads still highlighted.
1 Leaflets 1; [e. TX southwestwards] |
1 Leaflets 3-9; [collectively widespread in our region]. |
|
....3 Leaflets 5-9, leaflets in a conventionally pinnate arrangement; flowers white, 3-11 in a terminal inflorescence; [Coastal Plain of FL, GA, and SC] |
....3 Leaflets mostly 5 (3-7 per leaf, most on a plant 5), the 4 non-terminal leaflets at a single node at the summit of the petiole; flowers pink, solitary and axillary; [TX] |
..2 Leaflets 3; flowers white, pink, red, or purple. |
......4 Stems erect (not prostrate, trailing, or twining), with 4-6 (-8) leaves, usually alternately bent at nodes; inflorescence subsessile, 1-6-flowered |
......4 Stems prostrate, trailing, or twining, with numerous leaves (except in depauperate plants), not bent at nodes; inflorescence pedunculate, 1-flowered if sessile or subsessile. |
........5 Stems climbing or sprawling, twining. |
..........6 Corollas 11-14 (-15) mm; stems loosely strigose with short, loosely appressed, retrorse hairs, strongly lignescent |
..........6 Corollas 7-11 mm; stems strigose to hirsute or hirsute-pilose, herbaceous to weakly lignescent or ( G. striata) strongly lignescent. |
............ 7 Banner striped with white lines; [c. and s. FL peninsula, coastal and near-coastal] |
............ 7 Banner not striped; [collectively widespread]. |
............ ..8 Fruits falcate; flowers 1-5, solitary and pedicellate or 2-5 on an inflorescence axis 1-4 (-40) mm long; [TX] |
............ ..8 Fruits straight; flowers 1-8 (-16), solitary and pedicellate or 2-8 (-16) on an inflorescence axis 10-150(-280) mm long; [collectively widespread]. |
............ ....9 Stems strigose with antrorse hairs; leaflets linear-oblong to narrowly oblong or narrowly elliptic, 2-4 (-6) mm wide; [s. FL only] |
............ ....9 Stems strigose to hirsute or hirsute-villous with spreading-deflexed to retrorse hairs; leaflets oblong to elliptic or lanceolate, 5-21 (-25) mm wide; [more widely distributed]. |
............ ......10 Leaflets narrowly oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 6-14 mm wide; fruits 35-65 mm long, seeds 12-15 per fruit; [TX] |
............ ......10 Leaflets various (see below), 5-21 (-25) mm wide; fruits 20-52 mm long; seeds 5-11 per fruit; [collectively widespread]. |
............ ........11 Leaflets mostly elliptic to broadly elliptic, (5-) 10-21 (-25) mm wide, usually widest at the midpoint; stems moderately to densely hirsute to hirsute-villous with spreading-deflexed hairs; corollas 7-10 mm; leaflets thick in texture, not glaucous below |
............ ........11 Leaflets mostly ovate to lanceolate, 5-15 (-17) mm wide, widest below the midpoint; stems moderately to sparsely strigose with tightly to loosely appressed, retrorse hairs, sometimes glabrate; corollas 9-14 mm; leaflets thin in texture, usually glaucous below |
........5 Stems procumbent at least proximally and variously twining, weakly twining, or not twining towards the tip. |
............ ..........12 Stems gray retrorse-strigose; leaflets roundish, 1-1.3× as long as wide; stems 'rooting' at nodes, producing rhizomes; inflorescences of 2 types: 1) aerial inflorescences with chasmogamous flowers, and 2) single, subterranean, cleistogamous flowers that develop into 1-seeded legumes; [TX and southwards] |
............ ..........12 Stems variously hairy to glabrous, but not gray retrorse-strigose; leaflets elongate, > 1.5× as long as wide; stems not rooting at nodes; inflorescences all aerial with chasmogamous flowers; [LA and eastwards] |
............ ............ 13 Calyx lobes brown to reddish brown on inner surface when dry; corollas distinctly dark reddish when dry, persisting after withering, sometimes still present when fruit is mature |
............ ............ 13 Calyx lobes greenish-yellow to tan on inner surface when dry; corollas light whitish to blue, pinkish, or purplish when dry, not persisting after anthesis. |
............ ............ ..14 Leaflets subcoriaceous to coriaceous, venation raised on both surfaces. |
............ ............ ....15 Leaflets mostly linear-oblong or narrowly oblong, 2-8 (-11) mm wide; [c. and s. peninsular FL only] |
............ ............ ....15 Leaflets elliptic, oblanceolate-elliptic, oblong-elliptic, elliptic-lanceolate, or broadly lanceolate, (4-) 7-25 (-32) mm wide; [mainly Coastal Plain, s. NJ south to s. FL, west to s. MS] |
............ ............ ......16 Several to most internodes (especially those toward the base) longer than the largest leaflet of adjacent nodes, hairs on the stem 0.1-0.8 mm long; leaflets (4-) 10-25 (-32) mm wide; flowers (3-) 5-15 (-25), rarely 1-2 |
............ ............ ......16 Internodes only a little longer to usually shorter than the largest leaflet of adjacent nodes, hairs on stems 0.05-0.25 mm long; leaflets (4-) 7-10 (-18) mm wide; flowers solitary and axillary or 2-4 |
............ ............ ..14 Leaflets herbaceous, venation not raised. |
............ ............ ........17 Leaflets (14-) 20-55 × (10-) 15-35 mm; flowers 5-12 (-25) |
............ ............ ........17 Leaflets 8-30 × 5-20 mm; flowers solitary and axillary or 2-6. |
............ ............ ..........18 Inflorescence axis 10-20 mm; calyces 3-4 mm; corollas 6-7 mm; [Panhandle FL and adjacent s. AL] |
............ ............ ..........18 Inflorescence axis (5-) 20-60 (-90) mm; calyces 6-7 mm; corollas 12-15 mm; [s. FL] |
1 Leaflets denticulate (sometimes inconspicuously so); [tribe Trifolieae]. |
..2 Inflorescences elongate racemes with an axis 5-15 cm long, the flowers well-spaced along the axis, the overall inflorescence much longer than its diameter |
..2 Inflorescences umbellate or headlike clusters or short racemes with an axis < 2 cm long, the flowers closely clustered, the overall inflorescence little (if at all) longer than its diameter. |
....3 Legumes spirally coiled or curved, often tuberculate or prickly; stems 4-angled towards the tip |
....3 Legumes straight or nearly so, never tuberculate or prickly; stems terete or flattened (2-angled) towards the tip |
1 Leaflets entire (and sometimes also with 1 or 2 broad lobes), or with scattered, irregular large teeth ( Pachyrhizus erosus). |
......4 Main stems erect or ascending, not trailing, twining, or otherwise vine-like. |
........5 Flowers not papilionaceous (the wings and keel epistemonous, arising terminally or laterally from the stamen tube), barely bilaterally symmetrical; stamens 5, monadelphous; [tribe Amorpheae] |
........5 Flowers papilionaceous; stamens 10, diadelphous or monadelphous. |
..........6 Plants with separate leafy and flowering stems (the flowering stems naked or nearly so of leaves). |
............ 7 Standard bright red, remaining folded, 30-50 mm long; leaves hastately lobed; fruit a torulose legume, 6-20 cm long, the seeds red; [tribe Phaseoleae] |
............ 7 Standard white or pink, expanded, 4-8 mm long; leaves not hastate; fruit a flattened loment, < 5 cm long, the seeds drab; [tribe Desmodieae] |
..........6 Plants bearing leaves and flowers on the same stems. |
............ ..8 Leaves, stems, and/or calyces glandular-punctate. |
............ ....9 Corollas pink or lavender/purplish; leaflets estipellate; fruit 1-seeded, indehiscent; [tribe Psoraleae] |
............ ....9 Corollas yellow; leaflets stipellate; fruit 2-many-seeded, dehiscent; [tribe Phaseoleae, subtribe Cajaninae] |
............ ..8 Leaves, stems, and calyces lacking punctate glands. |
............ ......10 Leaflet blades large, at least the largest terminal leaflets on a plant > 5 cm long. |
............ ........11 Stipels absent on the petiolules of mature leaflets; stamens monadelphous. |
............ ..........12 Fruit a legume (not segmented into 1-seed dispersal units), hairy but the hairs not hooked; [plants cultivated as garden plants, rare as waifs] |
............ ..........12 Fruit a loment (separating into single-seeded segments), uncinulate (with hooked hairs, the fruits attaching to hairs or clothes as 'stick-tights'); [plants widespread, common] |
............ ........11 Stipels present, persistent; stamens diadelphous (9 and 1). |
............ ............ 13 Fruit a loment (separating into single-seeded segments), uncinulate (with hooked hairs, the fruits attaching to hairs or clothes as 'stick-tights'); [plants widespread, common] |
............ ............ 13 Fruit a legume (not segmented into 1-seed dispersal units), hairy but the hairs not hooked; [plants cultivated as crops or garden plants, rare as waifs] |
............ ............ ..14 sKeel of corolla not coiled; stipules inconspicuous; [soy beans] |
............ ............ ..14 Keel of corolla coiled 1-3 turns; stipules conspicuous, persistent, striate; [bush green beans or lima beans] |
............ ......10 Leaflet blades smaller, all on a plant < 5 cm long. |
............ ............ ....15 Stipels present, persistent. |
............ ............ ......16 Fruit a loment (separating into single-seeded segments), uncinulate (with hooked hairs, the fruits attaching to hairs or clothes as 'stick-tights') |
............ ............ ......16 Fruit a several- to many-seeded legume, glabrous to hairy (but not uncinulate) |
............ ............ ....15 Stipels absent on the petiolules of mature leaflets. |
............ ............ ........17 Fruits dehiscent, a legume with 2 or more seeds. |
............ ............ ..........18 Terminal leaflet very similar in size as the 2 lateral leaflets; banner petal prominently striate-veined |
............ ............ ..........18 Terminal leaflet 2× or more as long as the 2 lateral leaflets; banner petal evenly colored |
............ ............ ........17 Fruits indehiscent: either 1-seeded, or a loment with 2 or more one-seeded (indehiscent) segments. |
............ ............ ............ 19 Petioles fused most of length with amplexicaul stipules, the leaves thus appearing sessile or nearly so; corollas lemon to orangy yellow; flowers subsessile; fruit a loment of 2 segments, the terminal segment fertile, the lower segment either sterile or fertile |
............ ............ ............ 19 Petioles free from stipules, leaves evidently petiolate; corollas white to pink; flowers pedicellate; fruit either 1-seeded, or a loment normally with 3+ segments |
............ ............ ............ ..20 Fruit a loment, with 1-3 segments; terminal leaflets 3-10 cm long, 1-1.5× as long as wide; stamens monadelphous |
............ ............ ............ ..20 Fruit 1-seeded; terminal leaflets 1-5 cm long, 1.2-8× as long as wide; stamens diadelphous (9 and 1) |
......4 Main stems trailing, twining, creeping, or climbing or sprawling over other vegetation. |
............ ............ ............ ....21 Leaves, stems, and/or calyces glandular-punctate; corollas yellow. |
............ ............ ............ ....21 Leaves, stems, and calyces lacking punctate glands; corollas yellow, pink, purplish, white, red, blue. |
............ ............ ............ ......22 Leaflet blades smaller, all on a plant < 5 cm long. |
............ ............ ............ ........23 Stipels absent on the petiolules of mature leaflets. |
............ ............ ............ ..........24 Fruit a loment of 2 segments, the terminal segment fertile, the lower segment either sterile or fertile; corollas lemon to orangy yellow |
............ ............ ............ ..........24 Fruit 1-seeded; corollas pink-purplish to white, or bronze to brick-red. |
............ ............ ............ ............ 25 Corollas pink-purplish to white |
............ ............ ............ ............ 25 Corollas bronze to brick-red |
............ ............ ............ ........23 Stipels present, persistent (minute in Amphicarpaea). |
............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Fruit a loment (separating into single-seeded segments), uncinulate (with hooked hairs, the fruits attaching to hairs or clothes as 'stick-tights'). |
............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Flowers in axillary or terminal racemes; leaflets rotund, broadly ovate, broadly elliptic, or narrowly elliptic, the larger > 1 cm long. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Flowers in axillary clusters; leaflets broadly obovate, 0.5-1 cm long |
............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Fruit a legume, dehiscent (at least tardily), unsegmented, and with 2+ seeds. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Flowers resupinate (the pedicel twisted 180 degrees), the banner 2.5-5.5 cm long and positioned lowermost. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Calyx lobes equal to or longer than the calyx tube; fruits 3-5 mm wide |
............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Calyx lobes shorter than the calyx tube; fruits 5-8 mm wide |
............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Flowers not resupinate, the banner 0.7-2.5 cm long and positioned uppermost. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Stipules caducous |
............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Stipules persistent, sometimes conspicuous, sometimes striate. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 31 Keel petal and the included style straight to gently upcurved; stems very slender, < 0.75 mm in diameter |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 31 Keel petal and the included style either strongly curved upwards 90-180 degrees, or even more extensively coiled (asymmetrically and spirally) in towards the flower center; stems slender to thicker, > 0.75 mm in diameter. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..32 Keel petal and the included style strongly curved upwards 90-180 degrees; corollas yellow or pink to lavender (or whitish). |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....33 Corollas pink to lavender (or whitish); corolla keel usually somewhat twisted, asymmetrical; [widespread in our region] |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....33 Corollas yellow; corolla keel symmetrical; [mainly outer Coastal Plain] |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..32 Keel petal and the included style extensively coiled > 180 degrees (asymmetrically and spirally) in towards the flower center; corollas pink, purple, maroon, purple-black (or whitish). |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......34 Peduncles long, the flowers borne in clusters on a raceme axis shorter than the peduncle; plants glabrate to villous, the hairs not hooked |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......34 Peduncles short, the flowers scattered along a (sometimes branched) raceme axis, the raceme axis about as long as or longer than the peduncle; plants uncinulate pubescent (use 20× magnification, or touch the plant for the 'tacky' feel) |
............ ............ ............ ......22 Leaflet blades large, at least the largest terminal leaflets on a plant > 5 cm long. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........35 Stipels absent on the petiolules of mature leaflets; stamens monadelphous |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........35 Stipels present, persistent (minute in Amphicarpaea); stamens diadelphous (9 and 1) or monadelphous ( Pueraria). |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........36 Stamens monadelphous; robust herbaceous vine with stems to 30 m long; flowers purple, when fresh smelling like artificial grape flavoring. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........36 Stamens diadelphous (9 and 1); herbaceous vines with stems usually < 5 m long; flowers various in color, not 'grapy' in odor. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 37 Flowers resupinate (the pedicel twisted 180 degrees), the banner (standard) petal lowermost; banner (standard) 25-50 mm long, much larger than the other petals. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..38 Calyx lobes equal to or longer than the calyx tube; fruits 3-5 mm wide |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..38 Calyx lobes shorter than the calyx tube; fruits 5-8 mm wide |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 37 Flowers not resupinate, the banner (standard) uppermost; banner (standard) < 25 mm long, or if up to 30 mm then not much longer than the other petals. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....39 Fruit a loment (separating into single-seeded segments), uncinulate (with hooked hairs, the fruits attaching to hairs or clothes as 'stick-tights') |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....39 Fruit a several- to many-seeded legume, glabrous to hairy (but not uncinulate). |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......40 Keel incurved < 90 (-120) degrees; style glabrous or pubescent. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........41 Stipules inconspicuous or obsolescent. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........42 Leaflets coarsely toothed; roots tuberous |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........42 Leaflets with entire margins (sometimes with 1-2 rounded lobes); roots slender |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 43 Corolla 3-4 cm long; fruits constricted between the seeds; fruits with stinging hairs |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 43 Corolla < 2 cm long; fruits constricted or not; fruits glabrous or hairy, the hairs not stinging. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..44 Bracteoles below the calyx persistent; ventral suture of the fruit bumpy-nodose; style bearded |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..44 Bracteoles caducous; ventral suture of the fruit not bumpy-nodose; style glabrous. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....45 Leaflets (2-) 4-8 cm long, 0.8-1.5 cm wide, 5-6× as long as wide; leaflet apices acute to obtuse; fruits not flanged or winged |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....45 Leaflets 6-14 cm long, 4-10 cm wide, 1-1.3× as long as wide; leaflet apices strongly acuminate; fruits with a flange or wing along the ventral suture |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........41 Stipules persistent and conspicuous. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......46 Legume quadrangular in ×-section, 4-winged |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......46 Legume circular, elliptic, or oblong in ×-section, not winged. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........47 Flowers clustered 3 or more at the inflorescence nodes; upper calyx lobes fused. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........47 Flowers arrayed differently; upper calyx lobes separate. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........48 Keel petal and the included style straight to gently upcurved; stems very slender, < 0.75 mm in diameter |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........48 Keel petal and the included style strongly curved upwards 90-180 degrees; stems slender to thicker, > 0.75 mm in diameter |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......40 Keel petal and the included style either strongly curved upwards 90-180 degrees, or even more extensively coiled (asymmetrically and spirally) in towards the flower center; style or stigma pubescent. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 49 Plants uncinulate pubescent (use 20× magnification, or touch the plant for the 'tacky' feel) |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 49 Plants glabrate to villous, the hairs not hooked. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..50 Keel petal and the included style strongly curved upwards 90-180 degrees |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....51 Corolla keel symmetrical; [mainly outer Coastal Plain] |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....51 Corolla keel usually somewhat twisted, asymmetrical; [widespread in our region] |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..50 Keel petal and the included style even more extensively coiled (asymmetrically and spirally) in towards the flower center. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......52 Corolla 2.5-4 cm long, the wings about as long as the other petals; leaflets not lobed |
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......52 Corolla 1.5-2 cm long, the wing petals longer than the other petals; leaflets lobed |