Herbs, perennial. Stems ascend­ing to erect, branched or unbranched, 50–100 cm, medially uncinate-pubescent, sometimes also ± pilose. Leaves trifolio­late; stipules per­sistent, ovate, 8–15 mm, base amplexicaul, pilose-ciliate; petiole 30–50 mm; leaflet blades narrowly ovate to ovate, thick, papery, apex acute to rounded, surfaces conspicuously reticulate-veined abaxially, uncinate-puberulent on veins abaxially, sparsely spreading-villous or glabrous adaxially; terminal blade 35–80 × 30–70 mm, length 1.5–3 times width. Inflorescences usually unbranched; rachis patent-pilose and uncinate-puberulent; primary bracts narrowly ovate, 4–5 mm. Pedicels 7–15(–23) mm. Flowers: calyx 4–5 mm, uncinate-puberulent and pilose, tube 2–3 mm; abaxial lobes 2.5 mm, lateral lobes 2 mm; corolla purplish, 6–8 mm. Loments: sutures equally crenate; connections central, 1/2–4/5 as broad as segments; segments 4–7, elliptic or suborbiculate, 4–7 × 3.5–5 mm, symmetrically convex abaxially and adaxially, densely uncinate-puberulent and villous; stipe 2–4 mm.

Phenology: Flowering summer(–fall).
Habitat: Prairie relics, thickets, road­sides.
Elevation: 100–500 m.

Distribution

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Ark., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Mich., Minn., Mo., Nebr., Ohio, Okla., S.Dak., Tex., Wis.

Discussion

Desmodium illinoense is considered extirpated from Ontario, where it was collected once in 1888 near London.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.