Ouachita Leadplant / Center For Plant Conservation
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Plant Profile

Ouachita Leadplant (Amorpha ouachitensis)

The compound leaves and purple flower spike of the Ouachita indigobush. Photo Credit: George Yatskievych
  • Global Rank: G3 - Vulnerable
  • Legal Status: N/A
  • Family: Fabaceae
  • State: AR, OK
  • Nature Serve ID: 159298
  • Lifeform: Shrub
  • Date Inducted in National Collection: 02/25/1988
Description:

The Ouachita Mountain indigo is a small attractive shrub that grows to approximately 2 meters in height. The leaves are pinnately compound with broadly elliptical leaflets. The plant blooms from late April to early June. Individual flowers are tiny, but cluster together in the inflorescence, where the royal purple petals and gold anthers make a truly stunning display.

Where is Ouachita Leadplant (Amorpha ouachitensis) located in the wild?

Habitat:

In clearings in woods on rocky hillsides, immediately adjacent to streams, near rocky creeks, stream banks, and flood plains.Amorpha ouachitensis is found growing in association with Calamovilfa arcuata (also a rare plant), Streptanthus squamiformis, and Guara demareei.

Distribution:

In the Ouachita Mountain Province and the McAlester Marginal Hills Belt of southeastern Oklahoma, and the Ouachita Mountain Province in Arkansas (Zanoni et al.1979)

States & Provinces:

Ouachita Leadplant can be found in Arkansas, Oklahoma

Which CPC Partners conserve Ouachita Leadplant (Amorpha ouachitensis)?

  • Missouri Botanical Garden

    Sponsored
    Sponsors Add

    Silver Sponsor

    Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

    Mrs. Courtney Obata

    Mr. Andrew S. Love

    Bronze Sponsor

    Paducah Garden Club

    Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Johnson Spink

    Mr. William E. Wiese

    Mrs. Thomas Ott

    Mrs. William Van Cleve

    Colwell, Georgia

    Mrs. John E. Mackey

    Mr. and Mrs. Francis Stokes

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    Assigned 06/09/17
    • CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

    Conservation Actions

    Nature Serve Biotics
    • 05/02/2017

    Over 56 known element occurrences rangewide.

    Kimberlie McCue, Ph.D.
    • 01/01/2010

    Alteration of streambanks Conversion of wetland areas Clear-cutting and conversion of forests to pine plantations (Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory 1999)

    Kimberlie McCue, Ph.D.
    • 01/01/2010

    Currently known from at least eleven populations in eight counties in Arkansas and three counties (McCurtain, Leflore, Pushmataha) in Oklahoma (Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory 1999).

    Kimberlie McCue, Ph.D.
    • 01/01/2010

    None known.

    Kimberlie McCue, Ph.D.
    • 01/01/2010

    Not Available

    Kimberlie McCue, Ph.D.
    • 01/01/2010

    Areas harboring populations of Ouachita indigobush should be protected from stream alteration or wetland drainage. Additional research into the life history of this plant is crucial (Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory 1999).

    Kimberlie McCue, Ph.D.
    • 01/01/2010

    Not Available

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    Nomenclature
    Taxon Amorpha ouachitensis
    Authority Wilbur
    Family Fabaceae
    CPC Number 108
    ITIS 25382
    USDA AMOU
    Duration Perennial
    Common Names false indigo | Ouachita indigobush | Ouachita leadplant | Ouachita Mountain indigo | Ouachita Mountain leadplant | Ouachita false indigo
    Associated Scientific Names Amorpha ouachitensis
    Distribution In the Ouachita Mountain Province and the McAlester Marginal Hills Belt of southeastern Oklahoma, and the Ouachita Mountain Province in Arkansas (Zanoni et al.1979)
    State Rank
    State State Rank
    Arkansas S3
    Oklahoma S1
    Ecological Relationships

    Photos

    The compound leaves and purple flower spike of the Ouachita indigobush. Photo Credit: George Yatskievych

    Some Amorpha ouachitensis fruits have two seeds. 

    Photo Credit: Meg Engelhardt

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