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sand ticktrefoil

Habit 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.

Desmodium lineatum

Phenology Flowering late summer–fall(–spring).
Habitat Open wood-lands, savannas, sandhills, pastures, abandoned fields.
Elevation 0–200 m. (0–700 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; DC; DE; FL; GA; LA; MD; MS; NC; SC; TX; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Desmodium
Sibling taxa
D. arizonicum, D. batocaulon, D. canadense, D. canescens, D. cinerascens, D. cuspidatum, D. floridanum, D. grahamii, D. gramineum, D. illinoense, D. incanum, D. intortum, D. laevigatum, D. lindheimeri, D. marilandicum, D. metcalfei, D. nuttallii, D. ochroleucum, D. paniculatum, D. procumbens, D. psilocarpum, D. psilophyllum, D. retinens, D. rosei, D. rotundifolium, D. scopulorum, D. scorpiurus, D. sessilifolium, D. strictum, D. tenuifolium, D. tortuosum, D. triflorum, D. tweedyi, D. viridiflorum, D. ×humifusum
Synonyms Hedysarum lineatum, Meibomia arenicola var. polymorpha, M. lineata, M. lineata var. polymorpha, M. polymorpha
Name authority de Candolle in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle: Prodr. 2: 330. (1825)
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