Maybe ask your county extension office. Would help if you had a picture.

Rockguy,

I don't know if you have found your answer to this question through your county extension office or not by now. However, here is a list of native flora in TN that are members of Fabaceae family:

Albizia julibrissin Durazzini mimosa
Amphicarpa bracteata I (L.) Fernald. hog peanut
Amorpha fruticosa L.
Apios americana Medicus.
Astragalus canadensis L.
Cassia fasciculata Michx. partridge pea
Cassia marilandica L. wild senna
Cassia nictitans L. wild sensitive plant
Cassia obtusifolia L. sicklepod
Centrosema virginianum (L.) Bentham butterfly pea
Cercis canadensis L. redbud, Judas tree
Cladrastis lutea (Michx.) Koch. yellow wood
Clitoria mariana L. butterfly pea
Desmodium canescens (L.) DC. beggar lice, beggar's ticks
Desmodium cuspidatum (Muhl) Loudon. beggar lice, beggar's ticks
Desmanthus illinoiensis (Michx.) MacM.
Desmodium glutinosum (Muhl.) Wood beggar lice, beggar's ticks
Desmodium nudiflorum (L.) DC. beggar lice, beggar's ticks
Desmodium paniculatum (L.) DC. beggar lice, beggar's ticks
Desmodium rotundifolium DC. dollar leaf
Galactia volubilis (L.) Britton.
Lathyrus palustris L. vetchling
Lespedeza angustifolia (Pursh) Ell.
Lespedeza bicolor Turcz.
Lespedeza capita Michaux.
Lespedeza cuneata (Dumont) G.Don
Lespedeza hirta (L.) Hornemann bush-cover
Lespedeza intermedia (Watson) Britton.
Lespedeza repens (L.) Barton.
Lespedeza striata (Thunberg.) H. & A.
Medicago lupulina L. medick
Melilotus alba Desr. white melilot
Melilotus lutea
Phaseolus polystachyus (L.) B.S.P.
Physostegia virginiana (L.) Benth. false dragonhead
Psoralea psoralioides (Walter) Cory. Samson snakeroot
Robinia pseudo-acacia L. black locust
Rhynchosia tomentosa (L.) H. & A.
Schrankia microphylla sensitive briar
(Solander ex Smith) MacBride
Strophostyles helvola (L.) Ell.
Stylosanthes biflora (L.) BSP. pencil flower
Tephrosia virginiana (L.) Pers. goat's rue
Trifolium pratense L. red clover
Trifolium repens L. white clover, Ladino clover
Vicia angustifolia Reichard. vetch
Vicia caroliniana Walt. vetch
Vicia dasycarpa Tenore. smooth vetch
Wisteria sinense Sweet

Strophostyles helvola bears the common name of wild bean or trailing wild bean. It also has flowers ranging from pink to purple. A picture of the flowers would be easiest for identification off hand. Being as it may that I actually live within 20 miles of TN, I know many species in TN also exist in KY. So, I looked this particular species up in Wildflowers and Ferns of Kentucky as well as Wildflowers of Mammoth Cave National Park. I did not find it in Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southeastern States, but this particular book lists flora and fauna as well as habitats, historical information etc. So I am sure it would not be able to list all wildflowers of TN. None of these resources mention the taproot only the vegetative and flowering properties.

I hope this list helps! Good luck! (You might be able to do a google search under images as a faster means of finding the exact plant)

Thanks agrigirl. I see a couple there that it could be. The plant I found was transplanted and that's how I found the perennial root. You've been a big help.

Great! Glad I could help!

I see one phaseolus on the list. That would probably be more "bean-like" than most of the others.

Jim

Rockguy,

Any update to the identity of your find?