Largeleaf Leather Root

Orbexilum macrophyllum (Rowlee) Rydberg
Psoralea macrophylla Rowlee; Small, Fl. SE. U. S. 623. 1903.
A perennial; stem erect, 5-10 dm. high, angled, striate, retrorsely pubescent; leaves 3foliolate; stipules subulate or setaceous, fully 1 cm. long; petioles 3-8 cm. long; leaflets 6-10 cm. long, 4-6 cm. wide, broadly ovate, blunt at the apex, subcordate at the base, finely pubescent on both sides, finely reticulate beneath; peduncles 10-15 cm. long; racemes lax, about 1 cm. long; rachis densely pubescent and with stalked glands; bracts lanceolate; pedicels 2-3 mm. long; calyx densely pubescent and glandular; tube 2 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, the upper 2.5 mm., the lowest 3 mm. long; corolla 8-9 mm. long, purple; banner orbicular; blades of the wings and the keel-petals broadly lunate, obtuse, those of the latter a little shorter.
Type locality: Tryon Mountain, North Carolina. Distribution: Known only from the type locality.

Perennial, Herbs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Plants with rhizomes or suckers, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems less than 1 m tall, Plants gland-dotted or with gland-tipped hairs, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hair y, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules setiform, subulate or acicular, Stipules deciduous, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 3, Leaves glandular punctate or gland-dotted, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals blue, lavander to purple, or violet, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Banner petal auriculate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens diadelphous, 9 united, 1 free, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Style sharply bent, Fruit a legume, Fruit unilocular, Fruit indehiscent, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit rugose wrinkled or retic ulate, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit beaked, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 1-seeded, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.