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Montana Field Guide

Montana Field Guides

Bladder-vetch - Sphaerophysa salsula
Other Names:  Red Bladder-vetch, Alkali Swainsonpea

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Non-native Species

Global Rank: GNR
State Rank: SNA
C-value: 1


Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:


 

External Links

 
General Description
Rhizomatous herb. Stems single or clustered, erect, 40–90 cm. Herbage short-strigose. Leaves petiolate, stipulate, odd-pinnate with 15 to 25 elliptic leaflets 5–15 mm long. Inflorescence loosely-flowered, axillary racemes 5–18 cm long. Flowers papilionaceous; brick red, fading to brown; calyx white-strigose; sepals deltoid, ca. 1 mm long; banner 10–14 mm long, erect, ca. as long as the wings and keel; stamens 9 united, 1 separate. Fruit a papery, inflated, ovoid legume, 15–25 mm long (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Range Comments
Introduced sparingly in western U.S.; native to Asia (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).

Habitat
Low elevation, mesic sites, often where disturbed; road edges, ditches, alkaline wetlands.
Predicted Suitable Habitat Model

This species has a Predicted Suitable Habitat Model available.

To learn how these Models were created see mtnhp.org/models

Management

References
  • Literature Cited AboveLegend:   View Online Publication
    • Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
  • Additional ReferencesLegend:   View Online Publication
    Do you know of a citation we're missing?
    • Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
    • Sater, S. 2022. The insects of Sevenmile Creek, a pictorial guide to their diversity and ecology. Undergraduate Thesis. Helena, MT: Carroll College. 242 p.
  • Web Search Engines for Articles on "Bladder-vetch"
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Citation for data on this website:
Bladder-vetch — Sphaerophysa salsula.  Montana Field Guide.  .  Retrieved on , from