Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Showy Locoweed
Oxytropis splendens
Pea family (Fabaceae)

Its , -hairy distinguish Oxytropis splendens from the other 5 locoweeds found in Colorado. All locoweeds are poisonous to livestock and have resulted in mortality of horses, sheep and cattle. Nor should humans ingest these plants.


©2011 Scott Loarie

Description

growing 4-12" high. Foliage is densely clothed in long, erect hairs. Its leaves are primarily and 2-10" long. Each leaf has numerous whorls of 3 to 5 . are about 0.5" long. Narrow, elongated clusters () of 12 to 35 magenta flowers are produced along leafless flowering stems. Each flower is roughly 0.5" long and has a typical Pea Family flower structure, with an upper petal, two petals and two lower petals that are along the lower side. Seed pods are egg-shaped in outline, erect and 0.5-0.75" long.

Field Marks

-hairy foliage; in whorls around a central leaf axis; elongated clusters of purple, pea-like flowers.

© Al Schneider

silky -- Covered with fine soft hairs, with a lustrous sheen. Satiny to the touch.

fused means joined together.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

lateral -- attached to the side of an organ, for instance leaves or branches on a stem.

basal -- at the base, situated or attached at the base.

whorled -- The leaves are arranged in whorls of 3 or more leaves along the stems of a plant.

A raceme is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along its axis.

leaflets -- Each little leaf-like thing in a compound leaf is a leaflet.

wing -- Pea flowers have wings.