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velvetleaf tickclover, velvetleaf ticktrefoil

Metcalfe's ticktrefoil

Habit Herbs or subshrubs, perennial. Herbs, perennial.
Stems

erect, mostly unbranched, 30–300 cm, densely (sparsely in age) villosulous, also densely uncinate-puberulent and -pubescent.

erect or ascending, usually striate, angled, 30–90 cm, densely uncinate-puberulent.

Leaves

trifoliolate;

stipules caducous, narrowly ovate to ovate, 3–7 mm;

petiole 15–40 mm;

leaflet blades broadly ovate or broadly rhombic, base acute to cuneate or truncate, apex acute to acuminate, surfaces densely velvety or villous, especially on veins abaxially, uncinate-puberulent and obscurely strigose on veins adaxially;

terminal blade 50–120(–150) × 35–90 mm, length 1–1.5(–2) times width.

trifoliolate;

stipules caducous, linear-lanceolate, 1–4 mm;

petiole 3–13 mm;

leaflet blades somewhat paler abaxially, narrowly ovate-oblong, lateral slightly smaller than terminal, apex acute, lateral veins looped within margin, margins revolute, surfaces strigulose;

terminal blade 30–80 × 6–20 mm, length 3–5 times width.

Inflorescences

branched or unbranched;

rachis uncinate-pubescent and sparsely villous;

primary bracts narrowly deltate, 3 mm, pilose.

branched or unbranched;

rachis densely uncinate-puberulent;

primary bracts caducous, broadly deltate, 6 mm.

Pedicels

3–9 mm.

7–10 mm.

Flowers

calyx 2–3 mm, spreading-pilose, tube 2 mm;

abaxial lobes 2.5–4.5 mm, lateral lobes 2–4 mm;

corolla purple to pink or pallid lavender, 7–8 mm.

calyx 4 mm, glabrous, tube 1.5–2 mm;

abaxial lobes 2 mm, lateral lobes 1.5–2 mm;

corolla purple, 10–12 mm.

Loments

sutures subdentate abaxially, sinuate adaxially;

connections adaxial, 1/3–1/2 as broad as segments;

segments (3 or)4 or 5, rhombic, 5–8(–9) × 3–3.5 mm, symmetrically angled abaxially, straight or convex adaxially, moderately to densely uncinate-puberulent throughout;

stipe 3–6 mm.

sutures ± deeply crenate abaxially, crenate adaxially;

connections slightly adaxial, 1/2 as broad as segments, sometimes contorted (twisted);

segments 2–5, elliptic, 5–6 × 3 mm, rounded abaxially, slightly rounded adaxially, uncinate-pubescent throughout;

stipe 1–2 mm.

2n

= 22.

Desmodium viridiflorum

Desmodium metcalfei

Phenology Flowering summer–fall. Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat Open, often cutover wood­lands and borders, old fields, roadsides. Rocky slopes, canyons, ditches.
Elevation 0–900 m. (0–3000 ft.) 1400–2000 m. (4600–6600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; DC; DE; FL; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MD; MO; MS; NC; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; VA; WV
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AZ; NM; Mexico (Sinaloa)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

In Illinois, Desmodium viridiflorum is known only from Alexander County.

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

In the flora area, Desmodium metcalfei is known from Coconino and Yavapai counties in central Arizona, and from southwestern New Mexico.

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

Source FNA vol. 11. FNA vol. 11.
Parent taxa Fabaceae > subfam. Faboideae > Desmodium 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. lineatum, 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. ×humifusum
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. lineatum, D. marilandicum, 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 viridiflorum, Meibomia viridiflora Meibomia metcalfei
Name authority (Linnaeus) de Candolle in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle: Prodr. 2: 329. (1825) (Rose & Painter) Kearney & Peebles: J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 29: 485. (1939)
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