partridge pea
Chamaecrista fasciculata
Its leaves are sensitive to touch and will slowly fold inward when brushed, a defense mechanism against herbivores known as thigmonasty.
- Scientific name
- Chamaecrista fasciculata
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Fabales › Fabaceae › Chamaecrista
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Dry to moist prairies, meadows, fields, roadsides, and open upland woods.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (photosynthetic); draws nutrients and fixes nitrogen from the soil.
- Range
- Eastern United States, Central United States, Southern Canada
- Size
- 0.3 to 1.2 meters (1 to 4 feet) tall
- Lifespan
- 1 year (annual)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss to intensive agriculture, over-application of broadleaf herbicides, and suppression of natural fire regimes.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch and safe to observe closely. Do not ingest any part of the plant, as the seeds contain compounds that can cause stomach distress. If ingested, monitor for gastrointestinal symptoms and seek medical advice if severe.
Chamaecrista fasciculata , the partridge pea , is a species of legume native to most of the eastern United States. It is an annual which grows to approximately 0.5 meters tall. It has bright yellow flowers from early summer until first frost, with flowers through the entire flowering season if rainfall is sufficient.
Photo: Fritz Flohr Reynolds, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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