''Amorpha'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. All the species are native to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, from southern

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, most of the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

(US), and northern

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. 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 The Faboideae are a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. An acceptable alternative name for the subfamily is Papilionoideae, or Papilionaceae when this group of plants is treated as a family. This subfamily is wide ...

subfamily. ''Amorpha'' is missing the wing and keel petals. The desert false indigo or indigo bush (''

Amorpha fruticosa ''Amorpha fruticosa'' is a species of flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae, known by several common names, including desert false indigo, false indigo-bush, and bastard indigobush. It is native to North America. Description ''Amorpha f ...

''), 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 West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

and in the

Canadian province Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...

s of

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

and

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, but is considered an

invasive plant An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

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 Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

. The lead plant (''

Amorpha canescens ''Amorpha canescens'', known as leadplant, downy indigo bush, prairie shoestring, or buffalo bellows, is a small, perennial semi-shrub in the pea family (Fabaceae), native to North America. It has very small purple flowers with yellow stamens whi ...

''), a bushy shrub, is an important North American

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock f ...

. Lead plant is often associated with little bluestem (''

Schizachyrium scoparium ''Schizachyrium scoparium'', commonly known as little bluestem or beard grass, is a species of North American prairie grass native to most of the contiguous United States (except California, Nevada, and Oregon) as well as a small area north of t ...

''), 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

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species including '' Schinia lucens'', which feeds exclusively on the genus. Amorphol, a

rotenoid Rotenoids are naturally occurring substances containing a cis-fused tetrahydrochromeno ,4-bhromene nucleus. Many have insecticidal activity, such as the prototypical member of the family, rotenone. Rotenoids are related to the isoflavones. Natur ...

bioside, can be isolated from plants of the genus ''Amorpha''.

Species

''Amorpha'' comprises the following species: Amorpha fruticosa-flowers

* ''

Amorpha apiculata ''Amorpha apiculata'' is a species of Papilionaceous flower, papilionate Legume, leguminous shrub known commonly as the Baja California false-indigo. It is a very rare narrow Endemism, endemic only found in the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, Sierra ...

'' Wiggins * ''

Amorpha californica ''Amorpha californica'' is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae, legume family known by the common name California false indigo. It is native to California, Arizona, and northern Baja California, where it grows in the California chaparr ...

'' Torr. & A. Gray—California false indigo, mock locust ** var. ''californica'' Torr. & A. Gray ** var. ''napensis'' Jeps. * ''

'' Pursh—leadplant * '' Amorpha confusa'' (Wilbur) S.C.K. Straub, Sorrie & Weakley * '' Amorpha crenulata'' Rydb.Some sources treat ''Amorpha crenulata'' as a synonym (variety) of ''Amorpha herbacea''. (endangered) * ''

'' L.—desert false indigo * '' Amorpha georgiana'' Wilbur—Georgia false indigo * '' Amorpha glabra'' Poir.—mountain false indigo * '' Amorpha herbacea'' Walter—clusterspike false indigo ** var. ''herbacea'' Walter ** var. ''floridana'' (Rydb.) Wilbur * '' Amorpha laevigata'' Torr. & A. Gray—smooth false indigo * ''

Amorpha nana ''Amorpha nana'' (dwarf indigo, dwarf indigobush, dwarf false indigo, fragrant indigo-bush, fragrant false indigo, dwarf wild indigo) is a tall perennial shrub in the Pea family (Fabaceae) which is native to North America. It has vibrant green ...

'' C. Fraser—dwarf false indigo * ''

Amorpha nitens ''Amorpha nitens'', the shining false indigo, is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae, pea family. It is native to the southern United States, in Arkansas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Illinois, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky and South Car ...

'' F.E. Boynton—shining false indigo * ''

Amorpha ouachitensis ''Amorpha ouachitensis'' is an uncommon North American species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names Ouachita leadplant, Ouachita Mountain leadplant, Ouachita false indigo, and Ouachita indigobush. It is native to Okl ...

'' Wilbur—Ouachita false indigo * ''

Amorpha paniculata ''Amorpha'' is a genus of plants in the Fabaceae, 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 ''A ...

'' Torr. & A. Gray—panicled false indigo * '' Amorpha roemeriana'' Scheele—Roemer's false indigo * ''

Amorpha schwerinii ''Amorpha'' is a genus of plants in the Fabaceae, 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 ''A ...

'' 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.

Species

Species names with uncertain taxonomic status

Hybrids

References

External links