Monday, October 4, 2010

Hoita macrostachya--Leather Root--Fabaceae



Leather Root, also known as Psoralea macrostachya) is now blooming at the UC Botanical Garden. The lavender flowers are quite pretty draped over the steps just downhill from the conference center. It is near the creek, which is a normal habitat for this plant. It looks great now, but it is deciduous, so I don't know how it looks in winter. Indians used the fiber of the roots to make rope. I guess that is why it is called "Leather Root."

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