Gulf Indian Breadroot

Pediomelum rhombifolium (T. & G.) Rydberg
Psoralea rhombifolia T. & G. FI. N. Am. 1: 303. 1838. Lotodes rhombifolium Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 194. 1891.
A perennial, with a deep-seated, fusiform, farinaceous root; stem branching at the base, 1-5 dm. long, decumbent or trailing, striate, strigose; leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; stipules subulate or lanceolate, 3-5 mm. long; petioles 2-5 cm. long, or those of the upper leaves shorter; leaflets 1-3 cm. long, ovate-rhombic and acute or those of the lower leaves suborbicular and obtuse or rounded at the apex; peduncles 3-10 cm. long; spikes subcapitate, few-flowered; bracts 3 mm. long, lanceolate; calyx strigose, slightly gibbous on the upper side; tube 2-2.5 mm. long; lowest lobe lanceolate, 4 mm. long, the rest 3 mm. long; corolla dark-blue or reddish,
7 mm. long; banner obovate, retuse, with distinct rounded basal lobes; pod strigose, the body ovoid, 4-5 mm. long, the beak straight, about 8 mm. long; seed brownish, obliquely oval, shining or slightly curved.
Type locality: Texas.
Distribution: Louisiana to Texas, Tamaulipas, and Lower California.

Perennial, Herbs, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Taproot present, Tubers or tuberous roots present, Nodules present, Plants stoloniferous, Stems prostrate, trailing, or mat forming, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems 1-2 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Stem hairs hispid to villous, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules setiform, subulate or acicular, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 3, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Flowers in axillary clusters or few-floweredracemes, 2-6 flowers, Inflorescences spikes or spike-like, Inflorescences globose heads, capitate or subcapitate, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts conspicuously present, Bracts hairy, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals reddish brown, maroon, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Banner petal auriculate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing petals auriculate, 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 hairy, Fruit a legume, Fruit unilocular, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit enclosed in ca lyx, Fruit beaked, Fruit hairy, Fruit 1-seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.