Herbs. Stems erect or ascend­ing, 40–150 cm, wandlike or branched apically, strigose or puberulent. Leaves: stipules sub­ulate to narrowly triangular, 2–4 mm; petiole 7–20 mm, lon­ger than rachis; leaflet blades obovate to elliptic-oblong, apex obtuse or retuse, apiculate, surfaces strigose abaxially, often glabrous, sometimes sparsely appressed-puberulent only on midrib adaxially; laterals not oblique at base; terminal blade 10–40 × 5–15 mm, length 1.5–3 times width. Peduncles shorter than or equal to subtending leaves. Racemes 4–10-flowered, crowded distally, flowers chasmogamous and cleisto­gamous. Pedicels 2–3 mm; bracteoles shorter than calyx tube. Flowers: chasmogamous 6–7 mm; calyx 3–4.5 mm, appressed-puberulent, tube 1–1.5 mm; lobes 4, lateral narrowly triangular, 2–3 mm, adaxial connate proximally; corolla pink-lavender to purple; wings 6–7 mm; keel 5–6 mm. Loments: body exserted from calyx, calyx 1/2 loment length, chasmogamous ovate to rounded, 5–7 mm, cleistogamous rounded, 4–6 mm, appressed-puberulent; stipe 1.5 mm. 2n = 20.

Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Open, upland rocky, decid­uous woodlands, mixed or dry pine woods, mesic bot­toms, old fields, roadsides, often on acidic, sandy soils.
Elevation: 0–1000 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

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

Discussion

The name Lespedeza intermedia has traditionally been used for plants here called L. violacea (J. L. Reveal and F. R. Barrie 1991). The species that previously was called L. violacea is now L. frutescens.

Lespedeza violacea forms natural hybrids with L. capitata, L. frutescens, L. hirta, L. procumbens, L. repens, L. stuevei, and L. virginica.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.