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Drawing copyright Mark Müller
Fabaceae Family - "Goat's Rue, Catgut, Devil's Shoestrings, Hoary Pea, North American Turkey Pea, Virginia Tephrosia, Wild Sweet Pea"
Grows on dry, sandy soils throughout the Tallgrass region and well beyond to the east and south. Reaches about two feet in height and is covered with fine hairs making it appear shiny or silvery. Flowers look like pink and white sweet peas and bloom from June through July.
Native Americans were sure that a tea made from the roots of this plant made their children strong and muscular (sounds like a Lake Woebegone thing). The same tea, taken cold was thought to enhance male potency and to treat tuberculosis, coughs, bladder problems. Leaves placed inside the shoes treated rheumatism. The root was also reported to have been used as a fish poison.
Experimentally, T. virginiana has shown potential as having both anti-cancer and cancer-causing properties. This plant can also cause contact dermatitis in some cases.
