Friday, August 12, 2016

Wildflowers of 2016 - #219

Yesterday (11 August 2016), a stop at Chipp-A-Waters Park yielded just one new species to add to my Wildflowers of 2016 list. 


Wildflowers of 2016 - #219 Hog-peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata)

The bright green three-part leaves belong to Hog-peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata)

Hog-peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata) is a native member of the Legume or Pea Family (Fabaceae).  It is found in every state east of the Mississippi River and as far west as eastern Wyoming and Montana. In Michigan it has mainly been recorded in the southern half of the Lower Peninsula, with a separate population in the western half of the Upper Peninsula.  This plant is able to grow in a variety of habitats ranging from oak-hickory forest with dry sandy soil to swamps. 
 
Hog-peanut flowers

Hog-peanut is a small vine (up to 5 feet long) that climbs by twining around nearby objects. Hog-peanut plants have alternate leaves with three leaflets.  The leaflets are rounded at the base and pointed at the tips.  The plants small pink or white flowers grow from the leaf axils.  The flowers are 1/2 to 5/8 inches long.  The flowers have a typical pea-flower shape with 5 petals (a banner, two wings, and pair of petals fused into a keel).


Hog-peanut flowers are small (1/2 to 5/8 inch long)



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