Desmodium 



LEGUMINOSAE 



Desmodium 



3. D. caudatum 



Key to the Species 



a. Lvs. pinnately 7-foliolate; lfts. lanceolate, slenderly pointed, up 

 to 15 cm. long: fls. about 1cm. long; 2-segmented, with 



conspicuous stylar beak 1 • D. oldhami 



aa. Lvs. trifoliolate. 



b. Terminal 1ft. oblong, 3-17 mm. long: fls. 3-5 mm. long, on 

 slender pedicels; calyx lobes acuminate: loment 1-8- 

 jointed, constricted from both margins; joints as broad 



as i on g 2. D. microphyllum 



bb. Terminal 1ft. lanceolate, ovate or rhomboid, 2.5-8 cm. long. 



c. Principal nerves of lfts. not extending to margin of 



blade: fls. 5-8 mm. long. 



Calyx lobes acuminate: loment 5-6-lobed; lobes shallow, 



oblong, constricted from both anterior and posterior 



margins 



Calyx turbinate, lobes shallow and rounded: loment 

 long-stalked, exserted 10-18 mm. from the calyx, 

 2-4-jointed; segments about 9x4 mm., constricted 

 only from the anterior margin, joined by a narrow 



extended isthmus 4 . D. laxum 



cc. Principal nerves of lfts. extending to margin of blade. 



d. Lfts. chartaceous, light green and glaucous beneath. 



Fls. large, 8-10 mm. long; calyx deeply cleft: 



sections of the loment 5 or 6, constricted from 



both anterior and posterior margins; lfts. 



rounded or obtuse at the tip 5. D. floribundum 



Fls. small, less than 5 mm. long: calyx shallowly 

 cleft: sections of the loment usually 2, con- 

 stricted only from the anterior margin: lfts. 



slenderly pointed 6. D. oxyphyllum 



dd. Lfts. membranaceous, only slightly lighter green be- 

 neath, ovate to rhomboid; fls. less than 5 mm. 

 long; calyx turbinate, very shallowly lobed: 

 sections of the loment 2 or 3, constricted only 

 from the anterior margin 7. D. podocarpum 



1. Desmodium oldhami Oliv. (Brit. 7:197). Suffrutescent, to 1.5m.; fls. yellow, 

 VIII; fr. IX. Japan, Korea, South China; locally in Ki. Open woods. 



2. Desmodium microphyllum (Thunb.) DC. (£>. parvifolium DC.) d^U^S (Hsiao 

 Yeh Shan Lu Tou; Small-leaved Mountain-lentil) (Be. F. 84; F.H.E. 1:174). Shrub 

 to 6dm.; fls. purple, VII-VIII; fr. VIII-IX. Eastern Asia; locally in An., Ki 

 Brushland. 



3. Desmodium caudatum (Thunb.) DC. (D. labiirnifoliuni DC.) />#ff£ (Hsiao Hua 

 Hua; Small Sophora-flower) (Mak. F. 419). Shrub, to 6dm.; fls. greenish white 

 VII-VIII; fr. X. Eastern Asia; locally in An., Che., Hun., Hup., Ki., Ku. Brush 



land. 



4. Desmodium laxum DC. (Brit. 7:203). Shrub 0.5-0.7 m. high; fls. white, VII- 

 VIII; fr. VIII-IX. Southeastern Asia; locally in An., Che., Hup., Ki., Ku. Shaded 

 thickets. 



5. Desmodium floribundum (D. Don) G. Don (R.M. 520). Bush, to 2m.; fls. rose- 

 purple, VII-VIII, large, 8-10 mm. long; fr. IX. Himalayas, China; locally in Ki. 

 Thickets. 



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