About Amorpha ouachitensis Wilbur
Amorpha ouachitensis Wilbur is an uncommon North American flowering plant in the legume family. Its common names are Ouachita leadplant, Ouachita Mountain leadplant, Ouachita false indigo, and Ouachita indigobush. This species is native to the United States, specifically to the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma and Arkansas. In Oklahoma, it is found in Le Flore, McCurtain, and Pushmataha Counties. In Arkansas, it occurs in Conway, Garland, Logan, Montgomery, and Polk Counties, including in the Sugarloaf Mountains-Midland Peak Natural Area. Amorpha ouachitensis is a shrub that can grow up to about 2 meters, or 80 inches, tall. It produces compound leaves, each made up of multiple oval leaflets. Its inflorescence holds many individual flowers, which have purple petals and yellow anthers. This plant grows in clearings and on rocky slopes, very often near streams or on floodplains. It is found growing alongside other plant species including Calamovilfa arcuata, Streptanthus squamiformis, and Gaura demareei. The species is currently threatened by changes to its native habitat.
