Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Partridge Pea

This small, native bean can be frequent in sand prairie remnants. It is unusual in that the pinnate leaves are mildly sensitive, and when touched or jostled the leaflets gradually close. This phenomenon happens very slowly and is difficult to see in action.
The leaf petioles each have a nectar-bearing gland that is visited by a wide variety of insects. Photographed at Liverpool Sandpits Nature Preserve in Lake County, Indiana. Long known as Cassia fasciculata, it is now being called either Cassia chamaecrista or Chamaecrista fasculata.

3 comments:

ben said...

I am sure you mean Chamaecrista fasciculata.

Keith Board said...

Yes, that too. Good call Ben!

Bradford Slaughter said...

Beautiful plant, and one that is not likely native in MI (and I have not even observed any presumably introduced populations here). I miss southern Ohio!