Herbs. Stems erect or ascend­ing, clustered, 80–200 cm, copiously branched distally, striate, densely ascending or appressed white-pubescent on ridges. Leaves: stipules sub­ulate, 4–8 mm; petiole 5–10 mm, longer than rachis; leaflet blades narrowly obovate or narrowly obdeltate, apex obtuse to rounded, truncate, or retuse, apiculate, surfaces densely white-appressed-strigose abaxially, sparsely appressed-puberulent or glabrescent adaxially, scarcely reticulate-veined between principle lateral veins abaxially; terminal blade 7–32 × 2–8 mm, length 3–5 times width. Peduncles shorter than subtending leaves, scarcely pedunculate. Racemes 2–4-flowered, closely flowered, flowers chasmogamous and cleistogamous, chasmogamous with 2–4 flowers, cleistogamous usually with (1 or)2 flowers at base of peduncle, racemes shorter than to 1–4 times length of subtending leaves. Pedicels 1.5–2 mm; bracteoles shorter than calyx tube. Flowers: chasmogamous 6.5–8 mm; calyx 3–4.5 mm, tube 1 mm; lobes 4, lateral triangular, 2–3.5 mm, deeply 4-lobed, adaxial pair proximally connate most or part of their length; corolla white to pale yellow and pale purplish striate, or with blotch at throat adaxially, wing and keel petals white; wings 6–7 mm; keel 6–7.5 mm; cleistogamous flowers 2 mm, calyx lobes usually 1-veined, rarely with 1 distinct midrib and 2 inconspicuous lateral veins. Loments: sparsely appressed-pubescent or glabrescent; stipe 0.5 mm; chasmogamous, deciduous, distinctly exserted from calyx, elliptic-oblong or broadly elliptic, 3.5–5 × 2–3 mm, cleistogamous suborbicular, 3 × 2 mm. 2n = 20.

Phenology: Flowering late spring–fall.
Habitat: Pastures, open pine or deciduous woodlands, clearings, borders, lowland or moist areas, roadsides, old fields, urban waste areas.
Elevation: 0–1000 m.

Distribution

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Introduced; Ont., Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va., Wis., Asia (Afghanistan, China, Himalayas, India, Indo-China, Japan, Korea, Malesia, Myanmar, Taiwan), introduced also in Africa (Republic of South Africa), Pacific Islands (Hawaii), Australia.

Discussion

Lespedeza cuneata is widely planted for forage, erosion control, soil improvement, wildlife food, and strip mine regrowth (W. J. Guernsey 1970). The species tolerates sterile soils and is drought resistant; it is one of the characteristic plants of the rural, southeastern United States landscape (D. Isely 1998).

Lespedeza sericea Miquel is an illegitimate name that pertains here.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.