Lespedeza virginica

Herbs. Stems ascending or erect, clustered, 30–160 cm, initially wandlike, branched apically, villosulous or appressed-pubescent. Leaves: stipules subulate to narrowly triangular, to 6 mm; petiole 7–12 mm, longer than rachis; leaflet blades narrowly elliptic-oblong to linear, base obtuse or cuneate, apex apiculate, surfaces appressed-pubescent abaxially, usually sparsely appressed-pubescent, sometimes glabrescent (but not glabrous), adaxially; laterals similar to terminal; terminal blade 10–35 × 3–5 mm, length 3–7 times width. Peduncles shorter than or equal to subtending leaves. Racemes 4–14-flowered, crowded distally, flowers chasmogamous and cleistogamous. Pedicels 0.5–2 mm; bracteoles shorter than calyx tube. Flowers: chasmogamous 5–7 mm; calyx 3–4.5 mm, tube 1 mm; lobes 4, lateral narrowly triangular, 1–1.5 mm, adaxial connate proximally; corolla pink to purple; wings 5–6 mm; keel 4.5–5 mm. Loments: chasmogamous exserted from calyx, suborbicular, 4–7 mm, cleistogamous exserted from calyx, calyx 1/5–2/5 loment length, similar to chasmogamous, 3.5–5 mm; stipe 1 mm. 2n = 20.

Phenology: Flowering late summer–fall.
Habitat: Dry upland woodlands, clearings and borders, ruderal sites, old fields, eroded ridges, roadsides, pine barrens, moist savannas, prairie fragments.
Elevation: 0–1000 m.

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

Discussion

Lespedeza virginica forms natural hybrids with L. angustifolia, L. capitata, L. frutescens, L. hirta, L. procumbens (L. × brittonii E. P. Bicknell), L. repens, L. stuevei (L. × neglecta Mackenzie & Bush), and L. violacea.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa