Illinois Bundleflower
Common Name: Illinois Bundleflower
Other Names: Prairie Mimosa, Prairie Bundleflower
Species Name: Desmanthus illinoensis
Plant Type: Legume
Family Name: Mimosaceae, Mimosa Family
Examples of Illinois Bundleflower Desmanthus illinoensis
| Plant Facts | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Native |
| Duration | Perennial |
| Distribution in the U.S. | Alabama, New Mexico, North to the Dakotas, Minnesota and Ohio |
| Distribution in Oklahoma | Throughout the state |
ID Characteristics
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Field Identification Characteristics
Vegetative
- Pinnately compound leaves with numerous leaflets
- Leaflets fold when touched
- Has hair-like gland on branches between the lowest pair of leaflets and stem
- Tends to have more upright growth than M. quadrivalvis or N. lutea
Floral
- Flowers white fuzzy sphere
- Curved seed pods form a swirled ball-like cluster
-
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
- Leaf Type: Compound, 2-pinnately
- Leaf Arrangement:Alternate
- Leaf Shape: Linear or oblong
- Stipules: Present
-
Floral Characteristics
- Petal Number: 5, unfused
- Flower Color: White
- Flower Timing: June-August
- Fruit Type: Legumes
| Habitat/Ecology | |
|---|---|
| Soil Type | Various moderately-textured soils; does not tolerate coarse sand or dense clay |
| Habitat | Variety of wet or dry soils in prairies and open woods, borrow ditches |
| Successional Stage | Early to mid |