Status: Exotic
Synonyms:
Securigera varia (Linnaeus) Lawson
Coronilla varia is easy to recognize in the field by virtue of its lavender umbels of papillionaceous flowers held up on peduncles. It is an herbaceous plant with pinnately compound leaves with leaflets that are obtuse to emarginate at the apex with a small apiculus. Several states consider Coronilla varia to be an invasive species. Many of these same states in years past used Coronilla varia to stabilize roadside berms unaware of its tendency to take over. Coronilla varia is not common so far in the Gila, but has been seen on Signal Peak along the dirt roadside.
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Coronilla varia, photo Russ Kleinman & the GNPS Field Trip to Signal Peak, Pinos Altos Range, Signal Peak road near the top, June 17, 2012
Coronilla varia, growth habit, photo Russ Kleinman & the GNPS Field Trip to Signal Peak, Pinos Altos Range, Signal Peak road near the top, June 17, 2012
Coronilla varia, whole plant measured in lab, photo Russ Kleinman & the GNPS Field Trip to Signal Peak, Pinos Altos Range, Signal Peak road near the top, June 17, 2012
Coronilla varia, inflorescence measured in lab, photo Russ Kleinman & the GNPS Field Trip to Signal Peak, Pinos Altos Range, Signal Peak road near the top, June 17, 2012
Coronilla varia, compound leaf measured in lab, photo Russ Kleinman & the GNPS Field Trip to Signal Peak, Pinos Altos Range, Signal Peak road near the top, June 17, 2012
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