Yellow Necklacepod

Perennial, Trees, Shrubs, Woody throughout, Stems woody below, or from woody crown or caudex, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs glabrous or sparsely glabrate, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Stipules inconspicuous, absent, or caducous, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves odd pinnate, Leaf or leaf let margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets alternate or subopposite, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Leaves coriaceous, Inflorescences racemes, Inflorescence terminal, Inflorescence or flowers lax, declined or pendulous, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Bracteoles present, Flowers zygomorphic, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx hairy, Petals separate, Corolla papilionaceous, Petals clawed, Petals orange or yellow, Banner petal ovoid or obovate, Wing petals narrow, oblanceolate to oblong, Wing tips obtuse or rounded, Keel tips obtuse or rounded, not beaked, Stamens 9-10, Stamens completely free, separate, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit stipitate, Fruit unilocular, Fruit tardily or weakly dehiscent, Fruit indehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit oblong or ellipsoidal, Fruit coriaceous or becoming woody, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit compressed between seeds, Fruit torulose or moniliform, strongly constricted between seeds, Fruit beaked, Fruit hairy, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Seeds ovoid to rounded in outline, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.

Sophora tomentosa, also known as necklacepod, yellow necklacepod, and occasionally as silver bush, is a pantropical shrub or small tree in the family Fabaceae. It commonly ranges in height from 4 to 10 feet and often occurs in coastal conditions and near wetlands. The common name Necklacepod is derived from the characteristic string of seed pods that develop after its yellow flowers germinate into seeds.

Necklacepod is a nectar plant for bees, butterflies, and in parts of the Americas hummingbirds as well. It is suggested for use by native plant enthusiasts in Florida as a good landscape plant for xeriscaping but it only naturally occurs in coastal counties in the central and southern part of the state, while closely related varieties occur in Texas, and the Caribbean. The variety of Necklacepod growing in Australia is considered an endangered species in some areas due to the clearing of coastal habitat and displacement by invasive species.

In Sri Lanka, the plant is known as moodu murunga. The inedible pod has some similarities to the murunga (drumstick) pod. It has been used to make fish poisons, insect and spider repellents etc., esp in Africa.

Seed pods