''Psorothamnus'' is a genus of plants in the
legume family. These are shrubs and small trees. Many are known by the general common name indigo bush. Some are referred to as daleas, as this genus was once included in genus ''
Dalea
''Dalea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as prairie clover or indigo bush. Its name honors English apothecary Samuel Dale (1659–1739). They are native to the Western hemi ...
''. These are generally thorny, thickly branched, strongly scented bushes. Most species bear
lupin
''Lupinus'', commonly known as lupin, lupine, or regionally bluebonnet etc., is a genus of plants in the legume family Fabaceae. The genus includes over 199 species, with centers of diversity in North and South America. Smaller centers occur ...
like
raceme inflorescences of bright purple legume flowers and gland-rich pods. ''Psorothamnus'' species are native to the
southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, ...
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 ...
. The genus is
paraphyletic
In taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In co ...
and it has been proposed that the genus ''Psorodendron'' be reinstated to accommodate sections ''Xylodalea'', ''Capnodendron'', and ''Winnemucca''.
Species
''Psorothamnus'' comprises the following species:
* ''
Psorothamnus arborescens
''Psorothamnus arborescens'' is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name Mojave indigo bush.
Distribution
''Psorothamnus arborescens'' is native to southwestern North America, where it can be found in many type ...
''
(A. Gray) Barneby—Mojave indigo bush
** var. ''arborescens''
(A. Gray) Barneby
** var. ''minutifolius''
(Parish) Barneby
** var. ''pubescens''
(Parish) Barneby
** var. ''simplicifolius''
(Parish) Barneby
* ''
Psorothamnus emoryi''
(A. Gray) Rydb.—dyebush, Emory's indigo bush
* ''
Psorothamnus fremontii
''Psorothamnus fremontii'', the Fremont's dalea or Fremont's indigo bush (after John C. Frémont) is a perennial legume shrub.
Distribution
''Psorothamnus fremontii'' is common to the Southwestern United States and northwest Mexico - in the sta ...
''
(A. Gray) Barneby—Fremont's indigo bush
** var. ''attenuatus''
Barneby
** var. ''fremontii''
(A. Gray) Barneby
* ''
Psorothamnus kingii''
(S. Watson) Barneby—King's dalea
* ''
Psorothamnus nummularius''
(M.E. Jones) S.L. Welsh
* ''
Psorothamnus polydenius''
(S. Watson) Rydb.—Nevada dalea
* ''
Psorothamnus schottii''
(Torr.) Barneby—Schott's dalea
* ''
Psorothamnus scoparius''
(A. Gray) Rydb.—broom dalea
* ''
Psorothamnus spinosus''
(A. Gray) Barneby—smoketree, smokethorn
* ''
Psorothamnus thompsoniae''
(Vail) S.L. Welsh & N.D. Atwood—Thompson's dalea
References
External links
CalFlora Database: ''Psorothamnus''Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of ''Psorothamnus''USDA Plants Profile for ''Psorothamnus''
*
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5229140
Fabaceae genera
Flora of the California desert regions
Flora of the Great Basin
Natural history of the Mojave Desert