Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.

See Weakley et al. (2018a) for detailed discussion of the taxonomy of the "blue Baptisias".

This is one of a handful of "prairie plants" in NC -- species whose main range lies in high pH prairie-like or glade-like habitats west of the Appalachians -- and one of the state's most beautiful wildflowers. Read more at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.

The “aberrans” entity has been lumped into either “minor” or “australis,” it has been treated as a variety of both “minor” and “australis,” and it has been judged to be “the first of the trio to diverge independently”, per Weakley's Flora (2022)

For an in-depth treatment, peruse A monograph of the genus Baptisia (Larisey, 1940).

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Baptisia australis var. aberrans   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Baptisia aberrans

INCLUDED WITHIN Native & naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the US (Isely, 1998)

Baptisia australis var. australis

INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 098-09-002?:

Baptisia australis   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH A monograph of the genus Baptisia (Larisey, 1940)

Baptisia minor var. aberrans

INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Baptisia australis

COMMON NAME:
Eastern Prairie Blue Wild Indigo, Glade Wild Indigo, Glade Blue Wild Indigo, Glade Blue Baptisia

         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

Patrick D. McMillan    pdmbminoraberrans_w1

April        

Alan S. Weakley    asw_247290821222641

May    Granville County    NC

At most NC sites where this still occurs, there are other rare plant species present, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.

Alan S. Weakley    asw_258104840090756

May    Granville County    NC

Legume thin-walled, brittle and firm, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

Alan S. Weakley    asw_553293446969935

May    Granville County    NC

Calyx glabrous except for the densely short-ciliate margin, the upper lip barely divided, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

Alan S. Weakley    asw_568901238692907

May    Granville County    NC

Leaflets mostly oriented in a vertical plane (so viewed from above, the plant almost invisible), per Weakley's Flora (2023).

 COMPARE leaves that are trifoliolate and palmately compound

Richard and Teresa Ware    rtw_b_minor_aberrans

June        

Flowers in terminal, erect racemes 10-40cm long, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

Patrick D. McMillan    pdmbminoraberrans_w2

Month Unknown        

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Baptisia aberrans   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Baptisia australis var. aberrans   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Baptisia aberrans

INCLUDED WITHIN Native & naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the US (Isely, 1998)
Baptisia australis var. australis

INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 098-09-002?:
Baptisia australis   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH A monograph of the genus Baptisia (Larisey, 1940)
Baptisia minor var. aberrans

INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Baptisia australis