PARTRIDGE PEA 



Cassia fasciculata Michx. 



July - September Althoiifrli the leaves of partridge pea are not as 



Sands, fields. sensitive to touch a.« those of the related wild 



roadsides, ditches sensitive ])lant. they nevertheless have a degree 



of response whiih causes the thin little leaflets 

 to move together when stroked d^w n the niidrii). 



Partridge ])ea with its slender stems and sott little com])(iund leaves 

 is one of the connnon yellow llowers of sunnner. In sandy tields and 

 along country roads, in the grimy hlack coal dust of the coal mine coun- 

 try of southern Illinois, on the stri]vmine tailings in northern Illinois, 

 in poor soil and under jvioi- conditions almost everywhere in the state, 

 the ])ai-tridge \k\\ hlooins fi-oin duly until late Septi'mliei'. 



The flowers are of irregular shape with five hright-yellow ])etals 

 nuirked with a purjjlc si)ot at the l)ase of each, and a cluster of hhuk- 

 ]nirple stamens and curving stiff pistil in the center. The asynunetrical 

 shape not only is interesting, hut it is unlike the more compait, })ea- 

 .shaped flowers of the Pea family to whi(h it belongs. Partridge i)ea 

 produces long, flat, thin green, then luown. pods with snuill brown seeds 

 which are eaten by bob-white.- and other seed-e;;ting, ground-dwelling 

 birds in Illinois. 



Wild senna [Cassia uKirilaiKUcn 1>.) grows three feet tall at the 

 edges of woods aiul in low places in wckkIs near water. The stem is tough 

 and woody with long silky fibers running tbe length of the stalk. The 

 leaves are com|)ound and resend)le those of black locust, and the flowers, 

 shaped a g(X)d deal like those of partridge pea, are a deeper, more orange 

 yellow with purple stamens, and are snuiUer. held in large clu.^ters near 

 the top of the stem. 



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