Sphaerophysa salsula

Austrian peaweed, Austrian Peaweed

Family: Fabaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Austrian peaweed is a naturalized perennial found in the southern San Joaquin Valley and potentially other disturbed areas, occurring in cultivated fields and disturbed sites at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces brick- or orange-red flowers with a distinctive keel longer than its wings, creating a vivid display in its small clusters. Growing with ascending stems 4 to 15 decimeters tall and spreading by root sprouting, it develops a robust and expansive growth habit. Its compound leaves feature 15 to 23 leaflets, each 0.6 to 2 centimeters long and ranging from oblong to ovate, with tiny awl-like stipules less than 5 millimeters in length. The fruit is spheric to ovate, 1.4 to 3 centimeters long, with a papery or membranous texture that is often mottled and glabrous.

Habitat: Cultivated fields, disturbed sites

Bloom period: Jun-Aug

Elevation: < 500 m

Bioregions: s SnJV, possibly elsewhere

California counties: Kings, Kern

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.