Lindheimer's Indigo

Indigofera lindheimeriana Scheele, Linnaea 21: 464 1848.
A shrub, 5-10 dm. high or more; branches somewhat angled, densely strigose; stipules subulate-setaceous, 2 mm. long; leaves 7-12 cm. long; rachis and petiole densely strigose; leaflets 7-15, petioluled, obovate to elliptic, rounded and mucronate at the apex, acute at the base, 1-2 cm. long, 7-12 mm. wide, densely white-strigose on both sides; stipels present, minute, subulate; racemes in flower somewhat shorter than the leaves but in fruit longer; calyx densely strigose, 1.5 mm. long; corolla 6 mm. long; wings linear, oblique at the apex; pod terete, 2-2.5 cm. long, fully 2 mm. thick, somewhat arcuate, 5-7-seeded; seeds 2.5 mm. long, 1.5 mm. thick.
Type locality: Shores of Guadalupe River, at Indian Point, Texas.
Distribution: Texas, Coahuila, and Nnevo Leon.

Perennial, Shrubs, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Stem hairs hispid to villous, Stems with 2-branched hairs, dolabriform, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules setiform, subulate or acicular, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 5-9, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescences spikes or spike-like, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals pinkish to rose, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Wing petals narrow, oblan ceolate to oblong, Wing petals auriculate, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel petals auriculate, spurred, or gibbous, Keel abruptly curved, or spirally coiled, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit unilocular, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit coriaceous or becoming woody, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit inflated or turgid, Fruit internally septate between the seeds, Fruit hairy, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.