Lead Plant, Downey Indigo Bush, Prairie Shoestring, Buffalo Bellows

Amorpha canescens

a-MOR-fa  kan-ESS-kens

Amorpha canescens Pursh is the accepted scientific name for this species. It was first named and described as such by Frederick Traugott Pursh in Flora Americae Septentrionalis in 1813.

The genus, Amorpha L., was named and described as such by Carl von Linnaeus in the second volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

As of 7-1-26 when I wrote this document, Plants of the World Online lists 16 species in the Amorpha genus. It is a member of the plant family Fabaceae with 805 accepted genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

The above distribution map for Amorpha canescens is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is native and purple where it has been introduced. The map on the USDA Plants Database is similar. No map is perfect, but they give a general idea.

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations. I post all my observations on iNaturalist.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A POSITIVE ID.

I first observed the Amorpha canescens on a trip to the Lordi Marker Prairie with my friend Walter Moser on 6-8-26. This was my first trip to this vast prairie and it was AWESOME! 

I apologize for not writing descriptions, but I wanted to go ahead and get the photos online. I will come back later when I have time and write descriptions. The Missouri Plants website and others listed below have a lot of valuable information and were written by experts.

 

 

 

 

There are more photos at the bottom of the page under the links from other dates and locations.

I live on the family farm in Windsor, Missouri in Pettis County (Henry County is across the street, and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away). I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be variable from location to location, so that can be a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and they have provided much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

 
FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF MISSOURI (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
iNATURALIST
MISSOURI PLANTS
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
FLORA FINDER
FRIENDS OF THE WILDFLOWER GARDEN
GARDENA
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
LURIE GARDEN
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
PFAF (PLANTS FOR A FUTURE)
SEINet

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is one of the most reliable and up-to-date plant databases and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂

MORE PHOTOS…

The above photo was taken at the Drover’s Prairie Conservation Area on 6-22-26.

The above photo and the one below were taken at the Friendly Prairie Conservation Area on 6-22-26.

That’s all the photos I have for now for this species. There will likely be more to come.