Herbs, perennial. Stems ascending to erect, branched, 30–80 cm, inconspicuously uncinate-puberulent or gla­brescent. Leaves unifoliolate; stipules ± persistent, narrowly ovate-deltate, 3–3.5 mm; pet­iole 6–11 mm; leaflet blades ovate to narrowly ovate, 30–80 × 10–30 mm, length (2–)2.5–5 times width, apex acute or obtuse, with paler patches along midrib adaxially, surfaces uncinate-puberulent and villous. Inflorescences often numerous, slender and flexuous, branched or unbranched; rachis densely uncinate-puberulent and villous; primary bracts narrowly ovate, 1–2 mm. Pedicels 4–10 mm. Flowers: calyx 2.5–3 mm, puberulent and sparsely pilose, tube 1 mm; abaxial lobes 2–3 mm, lateral lobes 2 mm, adaxial connate nearly to apex; corolla pink to purple, 4–5 mm. Loments: margins slightly involute when young, sutures crenate abaxially, sinuate adaxially; connections adaxial, 1/5 as broad as segments; segments 3–5, elliptic to obovate, 2.5–6 × 3–3.5 mm, rounded abaxially, convex adaxially, sparsely uncinate-puberulent, sutures glabrous; stipe 1.5–2.5 mm. 2n = 22.

Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Mountain woodlands, creek beds, terraces.
Elevation: 1000–2200 m.

Distribution

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Ariz., Tex., Mexico (Baja California Sur, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Hidalgo, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Zacatecas).

Discussion

Desmodium psilophyllum is known in the flora area from southern Arizona to western and central Texas at the edge of Edwards Plateau; it is not known from New Mexico.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.