Herbs, perennial; base woody, rootstock thick, woody. Stems ascending to erect, usually stri­ate, mostly unbranched, 50–100(–150) cm, medially uncinate-puberulent and uncinate-pubescent. Leaves trifoliolate; stipules moderately persistent, narrowly ovate, 4–9.5 mm, apex often awn-tipped; petiole 1–5 mm; leaflet blades narrowly elliptic to linear, apex obtuse or acute, surfaces prominently reticulate-veined abaxially, uncinate-puberulent and subappressed pubescent abax­ially, glabrate or sparsely pubescent adaxially; terminal blade (30–)40–85 × 5–15 mm, length 4–10 times width. Inflorescences terminal and branched; rachis terete to subangulate, densely uncinate-puberulent and sparsely pilose; primary bracts ovate, 2.5–3 mm. Pedicels 2–5 mm. Flowers: calyx 2.5–3 mm, puberulent, tube 1.5 mm; abaxial lobes ovate, 1.5 mm, lateral lobes ovate, 1 mm; corolla pale lavender to reddish purple, 5 mm. Loments: sutures deeply crenate abaxially, sinuate adaxially; connections adaxial, 1/3 as broad as segments; segments (1 or)2(–4), semiorbiculate, 4.5–6 × 3–4.5 mm, symmetrically rounded abaxially, nearly straight or convex adaxially, densely uncinate-puberulent throughout; stipe 1–3 mm. 2n = 22.

Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Open, dry upland woods, abandoned fields, roadsides.
Elevation: 0–500 m.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

Ala., Ark., Conn., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.J., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.

Discussion

Desmodium sessilifolium is considered extirpated from Ontario.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.