Amorpha apiculata
Amorpha apiculata is a species of papilionate leguminous shrub known commonly as the Baja California false-indigo. It is a very rare narrow endemic only found in the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir and its western foothills. It is characterized by a white vexillum, a smooth, hairless fruit and spine-like glands. It is closely related to Amorpha californica.
Description
This plant is an erect, slender shrub that grows 2 to 5 m tall. On the petioles and rachises of the leaves are spine-like glands. The leaves appear in an ascendant to spreading manner, and are 10 to 20 cm long. The petioles are 1 to 2.5 cm long, and are usually equal to or longer than the width of the lowermost leaflet, with several to numerous of the amber-colored glands. There are 13 to 19 leaflets, each shaped elliptic to oblong-elliptic, mostly 1.5 to 3 cm long and 1 to 1.5 cm wide, and are usually 2.2 to 3.3 times as long as they are wide. The petiolules, which are the stalks that hold the leaflets, are 1.5 to 2.2 mm long.There are 1 to 7 racemes, which are 10 to 30 cm long. The pedicels are 0.8 to 1.2 mm long. The bracts are shaped narrowly linear, and are 2.5 to 3 mm long. The calyx tube is shaped narrowly funnelform, 2.5 to 3 mm long. The vexillum is 5 to 7 mm long, and about 4 mm wide, broadly ovate and colored white. The fruits are about 6 mm long to 2.5 mm wide, and are mostly smooth and free of hair.