. Common plants of longleaf pine-bluestem range. Plant ecology; Grasses; Forage plants. CATCLAW SENSITIVEBRIER Schrankia uncinata Willd. Catclaw sensitivebrier is a close relative of the silktree, commonly called mimosa, and the culti- vated acacias. Its spherical rose-pink flower heads resemble minature mimosa heads. Catclaw sensitivebrier is a spiny, sprawling, per- ennial herb usually found on dry, sandy soils. Many prostrate stems 3 to 4 feet long arise from a large woody rootstock. Flowering begins in late spring and continues through the summer, or as long as stem growth continues. Leave
. Common plants of longleaf pine-bluestem range. Plant ecology; Grasses; Forage plants. CATCLAW SENSITIVEBRIER Schrankia uncinata Willd. Catclaw sensitivebrier is a close relative of the silktree, commonly called mimosa, and the culti- vated acacias. Its spherical rose-pink flower heads resemble minature mimosa heads. Catclaw sensitivebrier is a spiny, sprawling, per- ennial herb usually found on dry, sandy soils. Many prostrate stems 3 to 4 feet long arise from a large woody rootstock. Flowering begins in late spring and continues through the summer, or as long as stem growth continues. Leaves are bipin- nate, with 4 to 8 pairs of first-division units, called pinnae. Each pinna has 8 to 15 pairs of oblong to elliptical leaflets Vs inch to over Va inch long. As in partridgepea, leaflets fold when touched. Only one other sensitivebrier is likely to be en- countered on longleaf pine-bluestem range. This is littleleaf sensitivebrier, S. microphylla (Dryand.) Macbr., which also grows on sandy sites throughout the South, especially in Florida and Alabama. Al- though more widely distributed, it is less common than catclaw. The two species differ primarily in venation, leaflets in catclaw having conspicuous lateral veins, but in littleleaf appearing to have only a midrib. Cattle graze the tender twigs in early spring before the spines harden. Nutritive value is high: protein content of new growth reportedly reaches 45 percent. Plants are seldom abundant enough to contribute greatly to the cattle diet. This species is generally considered more important as an indi- cator of high or improving range condition than as a forage producer. Deer browse the stems and leaves, and quail eat the seeds. Range: Texas to Alabama, north to Nebraska, Illinois, and North Carolina. Perennial. Stems elongate, decumbent, angled, prickly, to 1 m. long; leaves bipinnate. 6-15 cm. long, sensitive; pinnae 4-8 pairs, 2-5 cm. long; leaflets 8-15 pairs, oblong- elliptic, mm. long, veins promine
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, booksubjectforageplants, booksubjectgrasses
