Peteria thompsoniae in habitat
Like the Opuntia aurea in the previous entry, Peteria thompsoniae is also a species of the American Southwest. It is commonly known as spine-noded milkvetch; the spines are readily apparent in another of Andrey’s photographs: Peteria thompsoniae.
Some BPotD readers may recall an entry from last August with a specific epithet of “thompsoniae”, Penstemon thompsoniae. I had made mention of some initial research into the woman who the penstemon had been named for, discovering that she lacked a Wikipedia page despite her important contributions to botany.
In the months since then, two BPotD readers have worked together to launch a page for Ellen Powell Thompson, detailing some of her biography, her botanical legacy, and her political activism. Many thanks to Dr. David Brownstein (Klahanie Research) and Hollis Marriott for addressing this gap. You can read some of Hollis’s compilation of information in this blog post: Botanist Ellen Powell Thompson—yes, that Powell!. I’ll also add a special thanks to the many people who commented on the Penstemon thompsoniae post, as I know it helped inspire the completion of the Wikipedia page.
A few additional photos of Peteria thompsoniae are available via CalPhotos. There is also an entry about the species in the Jepson eFlora: Peteria thompsoniae.
Incidentally, Peteria is a genus of 4 species named for Dr. Robert Peter, a Kentucky doctor and botanist (who is also lacking a Wikipedia page). Some of his life is detailed in The Botanical activities and correspondence of Robert Peter, M.D. (1805-1894) and Dr. Robert Peter and the Legacy of Photography in Kentucky.
It looks like a precocious seedling of several species pf Fabaceae we have here in South Flolrida. Delonix regia), Abrus precatorius, Sesbania grandiflora and other Sesbania species Phyllanthus niruri in rthe Phyllanthacea are some common look-a-likes to be found inour area. One of the links stated that the mature size is about what is shown in the pictureand that this plant has a tuber. I’m surprised that I haven’t seen it in cactus and succulent publications except that it might need cold winters.
Thanks to all of you who contributed to the creation of the Wiki entry on Ellen Powell Thompson.
I am grateful for the tenacity and generosity of those who share their knowledge and passion. Thank you
Federica from Rome
Thanks for putting together this post, Daniel! Hopefully our project to give Ellen Powell Thompson more recognition will continue. When I was hiking in the Kanab area recently, I ran into Peteria thompsoniae–that was a treat 🙂
And a close up of the spines
As always – learning every time I open one of these posts! I followed the link to read about Ellen Powell Thompson – thank you to all who contributed to bringing this remarkable person to our attention 🙂