Herbs, mat-forming. Stems procumbent and spreading, to 100 cm, branched much of length, villosulous and patent-pilose. Leaves: stipules subulate to narrowly triangular, 2–5 mm; petiole 5–15 mm, longer than rachis; leaflet blades elliptic to broadly elliptic, apex obtuse or emarginate, apiculate, surfaces uniformly to densely pubescent or pilose abaxially, sparsely to uniformly pubescent adaxially; terminal blade 10–35 × 12–18 mm, length 1.2–2 times width. Peduncles longer than sub­tending leaves, patent-pilose. Racemes 4–14-flowered, flowers not clustered at apex, flowers chasmo­gamous and cleistogamous, cleistogamous flowers subsessile and clustered in leaf axils, or borne distally on axis. Pedicels 0.5–2 mm, patent-pilose; bracteoles shorter than calyx tube. Flowers: chasmogamous 6.2–6.8 mm; calyx 3.5–4 mm, tube 1–1.5 mm; lobes 4, lateral narrowly triangular, 2–2.5 mm, adaxial connate proximally; corolla pink to pink-purple; wings 6.1–6.5 mm; keel 6 mm. Loments: elliptic, sparsely appressed-puberulent or glabres­cent; stipe 0 mm; chasmogamous exserted 1/2+ from calyx, 4.5–5.5 mm, cleisto­gamous included in calyx. 2n = 20.

Phenology: Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat: Open uplands, dry woodlands, borders, clearings, glades, old fields, rail- and roadsides, ruderal sites.
Elevation: 0–1000 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

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., Va., W.Va., Wis.

Discussion

Lespedeza procumbens forms natural hybrids with L. angustifolia, L. frutescens, L. hirta, L. repens, L. stuevei, and L. virginica. Hybrids with L. virginica have been named L. × brittonii E. P. Bicknell and L. procumbens var. elliptica S. F. Blake.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.