Herbs, perennial. Stems pros­trate, (50–)100–200(–300) cm, villous and uncinate-puberulent. Leaves trifoliolate; stipules mostly persistent, reflexed, broadly ovate, 5–12 mm, base obliquely cordate, sub­amplexicaul; petiole 2–4.6 mm; leaflet blades trans­versely elliptic, orbiculate, or broadly ovate, apex emarginate, retuse, rounded, or obtuse, surfaces densely spreading-villous abaxially, appressed-villous adaxially; terminal blade 20–60 × 25–55 mm, length 0.8–1.2 times width. Inflorescences terminal or axillary and erect, usually unbranched, rarely branched; rachis shortly hirsute or sparsely uncinate-puberulent; primary bracts broadly ovate, 5–6 mm. Pedicels (5–)10–15 mm. Flowers: calyx (4–)5–6 mm, uncinate-puberulent and sparsely pilose, tube 1.5 mm; abaxial lobes 3–5 mm, lateral lobes 3.5–4.5 mm; corolla pink, fading blue-purple, 9–11 mm. Loments: sutures deeply crenate abaxially, crenate adaxially; connections adaxial, 1/6–1/4 as broad as segments; segments 3–6(or 7), subrhombic to elliptic, 4.5–7.5 × 4–5 mm, reticulate, obtusely angled abaxially, convex adaxially, uncinate-puberulent throughout; stipe 3–6 mm. 2n = 22.

Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Open woodlands, bottoms of steep uplands, borders, recently cleared areas, ruderal sites.
Elevation: 0–1000 m.

Distribution

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Ont., Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va.

Discussion

Desmodium rotundifolium, with relatively small leaflets, resembles 15. D. lineatum, which has loments with 2–4 segments and uncinate stem hairs (D. Isely 1998).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.