Thermopsis rhombifolia explained

Thermopsis rhombifolia, also known as prairie thermopsis, is a flowering plant in the legume family. It is native to North America, where it is found in the Great Plains, with extensions into the lower canyons of the Rocky Mountains. Its natural habitat is dry grasslands and woodlands.^{[1] [2]}

It is a perennial herb that produces yellow flowers in the spring.^[3]

Usage

The flowers were commonly used by the natives as a source of yellow dye and were boiled in a tea as a cure for stomach ailments for people and horses. The plant has toxic properties if ingested; symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, dizziness, and abdominal pain.^[4]

Notes and References

1. 2399917. 10.2307/2399917 . Taxonomy of Thermopsis (Fabaceae) in North America . Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden . 81 . 4 . 714–742 . Chia . Chen . Meghan . Mendenhall . Billie . Turner. 1994. 2152/31128 . free .
2. http://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Yellow%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/thermopsis%20rhombifolia.htm Southwest Colorado Wildflowers
3. Web site: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin. 2021-11-13. www.wildflower.org.
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9365438&dopt=Abstract Case series of Thermopsis exposure