Definition

Noun: 1. A perennial subshrub (Tephrosia virginiana) native to eastern North America. It is characterized by downy leaves, and flowers that are yellowish and rose-colored. This plant is a source of the natural insecticide rotenone.

Usage Notes

• This is a compound noun that functions as the common name for a specific plant species. It is typically used in botanical, horticultural, or ecological contexts.
• It is often written in lowercase (), though it may be capitalized when referring to the specific plant name in more formal botanical writing.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The field was dotted with the delicate blooms of the wild sweet pea.
  • Botanists study the wild sweet pea for its natural pesticidal properties.
  • We identified several native plants, including goat's rue and wild sweet pea.

Advanced Usage

• The term is used to distinguish this native North American plant from the cultivated garden sweet pea (), which is a different genus and not a source of rotenone.

Variants and Related Words

• Goat's Rue: This is the more frequently used common name for .
• Catgut: Another less common name for the same plant.
• Tephrosia virginiana: The scientific (Latin) name for the species.

Synonyms

• Goat's rue
• Catgut
• Virginia tephrosia

Notes on Meaning

• The term specifically refers to . It should not be confused with other plants that may have "wild sweet pea" as part of their local common name. Its defining characteristics are its perennial subshrub form, downy leaves, bicolored (yellowish and rose) flowers, and its status as a source of rotenone.

Noun

1. perennial subshrub of eastern North America having downy leaves yellowish and rose flowers and; source of rotenone