Strophostyles umbellata

Strophostyles umbellata
Photo taken by Gil Nelson
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class:	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae ⁄ Leguminosae
Genus:	Strophostyles
Species:	S. umbellata
Binomial name
Strophostyles umbellata (Muhl. ex Willd.) Britton
Natural range of Strophostyles umbellata from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: pink fuzzybean

Ecology

Habitat

In the Coastal Plain region, S. umbellata has been found in loamy sand of a depression bordering mesic flatwoods; understory of upland slash pinewoods; transition zone of longleaf pine flatwoods to pine savanna; semi-shaded loam in old growth longleaf pine forest; sand of open meadow; low savanna above creek floodplain; dry pine barrens; open pinewoods; open grassy clearing of upland pine woodland; floodplain shores of lakes; upland deciduous woods; slopes and ridges; and in a grassy area just above a fresh water marsh (FSU Herbarium; Hainds et al. 1999). It is predominately found in native groundcover, such as the upland pines of South Georgia (Ostertag and Robertson 2007). It has been documented in disturbed habitats such as loamy sand of roadside slopes, powerline corridors, loamy soil of roadside ditches, dikes on lake shores, white sandy bottoms of dried ponds, and in clay roadside banks. Outside of the Coastal Plain region in Indiana, it has been found in burned limestone glades (Wade and Menges 1986).

Soil types include loamy sand, loam, sand, loamy soil, and clay (FSU Herbarium). Associated species include Crotalaria, Desmodium, Cassia fasciculata, Cephalanthus, Desmodium ochroleucum, D. lineatum, Habenaria integra, H. ciliaris, and Aster umbellatus (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

It blooms from late June to early July (Hainds et al 1999). It has been observed to flowering June through September and fruiting August and September (FSU Herbarium).

Fire ecology

It occurs in areas that are frequently burned (Hainds et al 1999).

Use by animals

It is included in bobwhite quail diet (Sweeney 1981).

Photo Gallery

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  Strophostyles umbellata

  Photo by Katelin Stanley

  Thomas County, GA

References and notes

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: July 2015. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, Aaron Leblanc, James R. Burkhalter, A. F. Harris, Nancy E. Jordan, Wilson Baker, James R. Burkhalter, Dennis Hardin, A. H. Curtiss, Gary R. Knight, Thomas P. Kruas, R.K. Godfrey, D. B. Ward, S. C. Hood, Sidney McDaniel, R. Komarek, Rodie White, Leon Neel, Lisa Keppner, John B. Nelson, A. E. Radford, W. R. Anderson, Samuel B. Jones, Jr., Joseph Ewan, R. Kral, Robert A. Norris, Nancy Craft Coile, Nan Bates, Geo M. Merrill, Billie Bailey. States and Counties: Alabama: Macon. Florida: Alachua, Calhoun, Columbia, Duval, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Nassau, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, Washington. Georgia: Baker, Elbert, Grady, Thomas. Louisiana: Rapides, Union. Mississippi: Jasper, Lamar, Oktibbeha. North Carolina: Carteret. South Carolina: Fairfield, Pickens, Richland. Texas: Houston. Compiled by Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.

Hainds, M. J., R. J. Mitchell, B. J. Palik, L. R. Boring and D. H. Gjerstad. 1999. Distribution of native legumes (Leguminoseae) in frequently burned longleaf pine (Pinaceae)-wiregrass (Poaceae) ecosystems. American Journal of Botany 86:1606-1614.

Ostertag, T.E., and K.M. Robertson. 2007. A comparison of native versus old-field vegetation in upland pinelands managed with frequent fire, South Georgia, USA. Pages 109–120 in R.E. Masters and K.E.M. Galley (eds.). Proceedings of the 23rd Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference: Fire in Grassland and Shrubland Ecosystems.

Sweeney, J. M., C. R. Wenger and N. S. Yoho. 1981. Bobwhite quail food in young Arkansas loblolly pine plantations. Arkansas Experiment Station bulletin 852. Fayetteville, AR, University of Arkansas, Divisionn of Agriculture, Agricultural Experiment Station.

Wade, K. A. and E. S. Menges. 1987. Effects of fire on invasion and community structure of a southern Indiana cedar barrens. Indiana Academy of Science 96:273-286.