Silky Sophora, White Loco

(Sophora nuttalliana B. L. Turner)

Fabaceae (Legume Family)

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mature flowering plants▲

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Silky Sophora, White Loco:  (not in Weeds of the Great Plains, nor Weeds of the Northeast)

Silky sophora is a native creeping perennial (with creeping roots) found in the drier, sandier prairies, pastures and rangelands of the western midwest.  It sends up short, slightly-branched stems that grow 4-12" tall, and produce racemes of creamy-white flowers with tan to purplish calyces.  The pinnately-compound leaves appear gray-green due to their long-silky hairs.  Leaves and seeds of the plant may be toxic to livestock, but the plant is usually avoided if other palatable vegetation is available. 

Similar plants, such as White Locoweed and Lotus Milkvetch lack creeping roots, and White Locoweed has compressed (crown-like) stems with few branches.  Lotus milkvetch has very short flowering stems, and flowers sometimes do not open fully.

·         White Loco, Silky Sophora:  (not in Weeds of the Great Plains, nor Weeds of the Northeast)

o   Native creeping perennial that produces creeping roots in the Sophora genus

o   Produces short, relatively unbranched stems that grow only 6-12” tall

o   Leaves are pinnately-compound, grayish-white woolly with slender leaflets

o   Flowers are open racemes of white flowers with grayish or purplish patches

o   Found in dry, sandy soils of western Midwest

o   Is toxic if grazed, but usually not grazed; has toxic alkaloids

o   Found on prairies, rangeland, roadsides