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Chamaecrista nictitans (L.)Moench var. nictitans
Partridge Pea
Sensitive Pea
Wild Sensitive Plant
Florida native
Found in disturbed sites and wooded habitats (sandhills, flatwoods and hammocks) throughout the panhandle and north Florida, south into Volusia County on the eastern side of the peninsula and into Collier County on the west side. The nictitans variety ranges throughout the southeastern United States from Mississippi and Arkansas into North Carolina where it is the only variety found.
A bushy plant that can be spreading or erect to over 61cm (2 ft.) tall with alternate compound leaves containing many leaflets that are sensitive to touch. There is a small conspicuous gland on the petiole below the lowest leaflets. Variety nictitans may be nearly hairless (glabrate) or with sparse, short incurved hairs. The small yellow flowers are about 1cm (3/8 in.) wide with five unequal length petals and a caylx with five narrow lobes.
A second variety is conspicuously pilose with much longer hairs is called aspera and can be found in the same kinds of habitats throughout the entire Florida peninsula and into some north Florida and panhandle counties.
Chamaecrista nictitans is a member of the Fabaceae - Pea family.
Other species of the Chamaecrista genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Chamaecrista fasciculata - PARTRIDGE PEA
Chamaecrista lineata var. keyensis - NARROWPOD SENSITIVE PEA
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Jul 29, 2024
