Herbs. Stems erect, slender, 70–100 cm, mostly simple, with axillary, exserted inflorescences distally, pubescent. Leaves: stipules subulate to narrowly triangular, to 5 mm; petiole 6–10 mm, longer than rachis; leaflet blades linear to narrowly oblong, apex rounded or obtuse, apiculate, surfaces densely sericeous abaxially, uni­formly appressed-pubescent adaxially; terminal blade 20–40 × 2–7 mm, length 2.5–7 times width. Peduncles equal to or much longer than subtending leaves. Racemes 8–15-flowered, flowers lax on axis, flowers chasmo­gamous, cleistogamous rare, racemes shorter than to 1–4 times length of subtending leaves. Pedicels to 1 mm; bracteoles longer than calyx tube. Flowers: chasmo­gamous 5–6 mm; calyx 4.5–6 mm, longer than corolla and loments, tube 1 mm; lobes 5, lateral nar­rowly triangular to subulate, 4–5 mm, setaceous, villous, apices spinelike; corolla whitish yellow or lavender-tinged; wings 4.5–5.2 mm; keel 4–4.5 mm. Loments: chasmogamous included in calyx, rounded, 4–6 mm, cleistogamous similar to chasmogamous; stipe subsessile.

Phenology: Flowering late summer–fall.
Habitat: Upland prairie remnants.
Elevation: 100–500 m.

Distribution

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Ill., Iowa, Minn., Wis.

Discussion

Hybridization of Lespedeza leptostachya with L. capitata has been documented (J. B. Fant et al. 2010). Lespedeza leptostachya is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.