Desmodium canescens
Dict. Sci. Nat. ed. 2, 13: 110. 1819.
Herbs, perennial. Stems erect or ascending, branched, 50–200 cm, conspicuously or sparsely villous and uncinate-pubescent. Leaves trifoliolate; stipules mostly persistent, usually reflexed, broadly or narrowly ovate, 5–13 mm, base oblique, often auriculate, subamplexicaul; petiole 30–60 mm; leaflet blades ovate, thick, papery, apex acute to gradually acuminate, surfaces densely uncinate-puberulent abaxially, uncinate-puberulent and pubescent on veins adaxially; terminal blade 50–130 × 30–100 mm, length 1.5–2 times width. Inflorescences paniclelike, branched; rachis densely patent bulbous-villous and uncinate-puberulent; primary bracts caducous, narrowly ovate, 4–6 mm. Pedicels persistent, 8–13 mm. Flowers: calyx 3–5 mm, sparsely or densely puberulent, tube 1 mm; abaxial lobes to 3 mm, lateral lobes 1 mm; corolla usually purple to pinkish, rarely white, 9–13 mm. Loments: sutures dentate or crenate abaxially, sinuate adaxially; connections adaxial, 1/3–1/2 as broad as segments; segments 4–6, broadly elliptic, 6.5–13 × 4–7 mm, obtusely angled abaxially becoming round, convex adaxially, uncinate-puberulent and villous, hairs particularly dense on sutures and between segments; stipe 2.5–6 mm. 2n = 22.
Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Open, dry woodlands, cutover areas, thickets, roadsides.
Elevation: 0–900 m.
Distribution
Ont., Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va., Wis.
Discussion
In Texas, Desmodium canescens is known from the eastern third of the state. In Florida, it occurs only in the panhandle region.
Selected References
None.