Herbs, perennial, often mat-forming. Stems prostrate, lineate, to 100 cm, uncinate-puberulent and -pubescent, also sparsely to moderately pilose. Leaves trifoliolate; stipules mostly persistent, inconspicuous, narrowly ovate, 2–5 mm; petiole 5–21 mm; leaflet blades orbic­ulate or broadly rhombic-ovate, apex rounded, surfaces glabrous or inconspicuously spreading-villous abaxially, glabrous adaxially; terminal blade 15–30 × 10–30 mm, length 1–1.2 times width. Inflorescences densely flow­ered, ascending, usually terminal and branched, axillary and unbranched; rachis uncinate-puberulent; primary bracts caducous, ovate, 1–2 mm. Pedicels 6–12 mm. Flowers: calyx 2 mm, puberulent and ± pilose, tube 1 mm; abax­ial lobes 1.5 mm, lateral lobes 1 mm; corolla usually purple, rarely white, 3.5–5 mm. Loments: sutures deeply crenate abaxially, sinuate adaxially; connections adaxial, 1/3 as broad as segments; segments 2–4, ovate-orbiculate or obovate, 3.5–6 × 2.5–4 mm, symmetri­cally rounded abaxially, convex adaxially, uncinate-pubescent and pilose throughout; stipe 1–2.5 mm.

Phenology: Flowering late summer–fall(–spring).
Habitat: Open wood-lands, savannas, sandhills, pastures, abandoned fields.
Elevation: 0–200 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Loading map...

Ala., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., La., Md., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tex., Va., W.Va.

Discussion

Desmodium arenicola (Vail) F. J. Hermann and Meibomia arenicola Vail are illegitimate names that pertain here.

In Texas, Desmodium lineatum is known from fewer than ten counties adjacent to Louisiana.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.