Desmodium canadense

Herbs, perennial. Stems erect, 50–100 cm, sparsely to densely pilose or villous, usually patent uncinate-puberulent and -pubescent, sometimes glabrescent. Leaves trifoliolate; stipules ± persistent, subulate to narrowly ovate, 4.5–9.5 mm; petiole 10–60 mm; leaflet blades often pale green abaxially, ovate to narrowly ovate, apex acute, surfaces slightly or visibly strigulose abaxially, sparsely puberulent or nearly glabrescent adaxially; terminal blade 40–110 × 15–30 mm, length 2.5–3.5 times width. Inflorescences terminal and branched, or unbranched from distal axils; rachis villous and uncinate-pubescent, sometimes appearing glabrescent; primary bracts caducous, narrowly ovate, 6–7 mm. Pedicels 4–8 mm. Flowers: calyx 3.5–5 mm, densely uncinate-puberulent and sparsely pilose, tube 1–1.5 mm; abaxial lobes 3–3.5 mm, lateral lobes 2 mm; corolla usually blue-violet, rarely white, 8–11 mm. Loments: sutures crenate abaxially, repand or sinuate adaxially; connections adaxial, 1/2 as broad as segments; segments 3–5, semiorbiculate, 4–8 × 4–5 mm, rounded abaxially, convex adaxially, densely uncinate-puberulent; stipe 2(–3) mm. 2n = 22.

Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Prairie relics, woodland borders and openings, roadsides.
Elevation: 0–900 m.

Man., N.B., N.S., Ont., Que., Conn., Del., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.Dak., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

In Texas, Desmodium canadense is known only from Wheeler County.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa