610 



Leguminosae 



Lespedeza 



Desmodium cihare DC. 



gravelly soil in open, black and white oak woods. This species and the 

 preceding two have the same habitat and are often associated. 

 Mass., Mich, to Nebr., southw. to Fla. and Tex. 



3820. LESPEDEZA Michx. Bushclover 



In a study of this genus the two kinds of pods and the relative length 

 of the calyx and its lobes should be noted. The pods of cleistogamous 

 flowers are usually broadly oval and short and have very short calyx lobes 

 of nearly equal length, mostly 0.5-2 mm long, and a short, recurved style, 

 usually less than 1 mm long. The pods of petaliferous flowers are usually 

 not so wide and are longer, the calyx lobes more irregular in length and 

 much longer than those of the cleistogamous flowers, and the style is much 

 longer and not recurved. 



Stipules and bracts broad, scarious, glabrous, as long as or longer than the petioles, 

 persistent; plants annual. 



Pubescence of stems retrorsely appressed 1. L. striata. 



Pubescence of stems upwardly appressed 2. L. stipulacea. 



Stipules subulate-setaceous, pubescent, not scarious, generally shorter than the petioles, 



more or less deciduous; plants perennial. 



Calyx lobes of petaliferous flowers 4.5-8 mm long (cleistogamous flowers rare or 



lacking except in no. 4); pubescence of stem and petioles spreading or appressed. 



Peduncles shorter than the leaves; leaflets narrow, elliptic-oblong to linear; 



flowers whitish to cream color. 



Leaflets elliptic-oblong to almost linear, densely appressed-pubescent beneath, 



green and glabrous or slightly appressed-pubescent above 3. L. capitata. 



Leaflets narrowly elliptic-oblong, velvety-pubescent above and beneath 



3a. L. capitata var. velutina. 



Leaflets linear, green and glabrous or slightly appressed-pubescent above 



3b. L. capitata var. longifolia. 



Peduncles longer than the leaves; leaflets wide, orbicular to oblong. 



Calyx mostly 4.5-5 (5.5) mm long; flowers purplish; pubescence of stem and 

 peduncles spreading 4. L. Nuttalhi. 



