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Sensitive Partridge Pea, Wild Sensitive Plant, Sensitive Pea - Chamaecrista nictitans


Family: Fabaceae – Pea family Genus Common Name: Partridge Pea Native Status: Native
Chamaecrista nictitans - Sensitive Partridge Pea, Wild Sensitive Plant, Sensitive Pea. Low-growing pea with yellow flowers and pinnately-divided leaves. The leaves will sometime fold up when touched. There is a tiny gland on the petiole near the plant stem.

Chamaecrista nictitans is a highly variable species, with 2 subspecies, nictitans and patellaria. Only nictitans is found in the continental US, and that subspecies has 5 varieties. The variety presented here, nictitans, is the most widespread variety.
Distribution of Chamaecrista nictitans in the United States and Canada:
USDA Plants Distribution Map
Blue=Native; Grey=Introduced

Map from USDA Plants Database:
USDA, NRCS. 2009. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 09 Sep 2010). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

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Site: Walker County, GA Date: 2009-September-26Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
Chamaecrista nictitans ssp. nictitans var. nictitans
Chamaecrista nictitans
Site: Walker County, GA Date: 2009-September-26Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson
Each leaf in Chamaecrista nictitans ssp. nictitans var. nictitans may have upwards of 25 leaflets. The tiny (.25 inch) yellow flowers grow singly or in a cluster of a few blossoms on pedicels arising from the leaf axils.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Chamaecrista nictitans

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2010
Photographs Copyrighted by the named photographer


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