Apios priceana

Apios priceana is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names Price's potato-bean, Price's groundnut, and traveler's delight. It is a climbing yellow-green vine in the growing from a stout, potato-like tuber. The plant is native to the Southeastern United States.

Apios priceana

Vulnerable  (NatureServe)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Apios
Species:
A. priceana
Binomial name
Apios priceana

Description

The vines may be up to 3 to 5 meters (10 to 16+1⁄2 feet) long. It has a large underground tuber, distinguishing it from other Apios species. The leaves are alternately arranged on the stem, about 20–30 centimetres (8–12 inches) long, and comprising seven leaflets. The fragrant pale pink or greenish-yellow pea-like flowers bloom in the summer.[2] The fruit is a long slender pod about 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) long.

Distribution and habitat

The plant is native to the U.S. states of Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Tennessee. It occurred in Illinois in the past but its population there was destroyed.[3] It is usually associated with openings in the forest canopy in mixed hardwood stands where ravine slopes grade into creek or stream bottoms.

Ecology

The flowers are pollinated by bees and the long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus).[2]

The threatened status of the species is primarily due to habitat destruction, but other impacts such as disease, predation, and historical tuber collection have also contributed.

Conservation

With about 25 known occurrences,[3][2] the plant is federally listed as a threatened species.

Uses

The plant was probably used as a food source by Indigenous peoples of the Americas and early white settlers.[3]

References
  1. Apios priceana NatureServe
  2. "Apios priceana". Center for Plant Conservation. 2010-03-04. Archived from the original on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2022-08-17.
  3. The Nature Conservancy
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