Desmodium

[remnant]

Desmodium is a spreading perennial that mostly grows along hedges and found growing wild. It has purple flowers and feathery seed ponds which cling on clothes. This is an adaptation for broadcasting the seeds to grow in new areas. Desmodium has been found to be a powerful nitrogen fixer and is being grown alongside napier grass. It has also been found to be rich food for cattle. Do you know of similar perennials grown in your area?

 

[LouisFerdinand]

 

[Marck]

Desmodium is a genus of approximately 185 species in the Pea Family (Fabaceae). Many Desmodium are known as Tick-clover, Tick-terefoil, or Beggar's Lice due to the adhesive legumes (seed pods) that the plants produce. This adhesive quality facilitates seed dispersal by animal vectors (including humans). Most Desmodium have pink or lavender colored petals. There are many tropical species of Desmodium that Occur in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, tropical Africa, tropical Asia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Australia, but there are also several temperate species in southeastern Australia and Tasmania, and about 40 temperate species in the U.S. and northern Mexico, with 11 species extending north into eastern Canada.

Showy Tick-trefoil (Desmodium canadensis) is considered to be an exceptionally attractive species.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

A closeup of Desmodium

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