- Common Name: Green-leaf Desmodium
- Type: Vine,Trailing and scrambling
- Family: Fabaceae
- Status: Weed This introduced Plant has escaped into local bushland. Without natural predators to keep it in check, it is out-competing native Species.
- Size: stems 1.5 metres long
- Flowers: pink/blue
- Species List: Cranks Creek, weeds
Identification Notes
Flowers/Seedhead: In Terminal or Axillary racemes to 30 cm long. Calyx 4-Lobed, upper Lobe divided into two. Flowers mainly summer and autumn.
Description: Prostrate to scrambling Herb with stems to 2 m long. Leaf stalk 2–5.5 cm long. Seedpod flattened, 1–3 cm long, 0.15–0.3 cm wide, with 3–10 seeds.
Distinguishing features: Distinguished by stems with dense to sparse straight and hooked hairs; Leaves with three leaflets, leaflets Elliptic to Ovate 2–12 cm long, 1–7 cm wide, uniformly green above, the central Leaflet on a longer stalk than the other two, both surfaces with few to many hairs, Stipule-like organs (stipels) at the base of each Leaflet; flowers pea-like, pink to blue or white, about 10 mm long; seedpod covered with hooked hairs and separating into 1-seeded sections which do not open at maturity.
Dispersal: Spread by Seed.
References: Flora of NSW. G. Harden (ed), Vol. 2 (revised), 2002, pages 575–578. A Guide to Herbaceous and Shrub Legumes of Queensland. J. Hacker, 1990, pages 134–148.
Landscaping Notes
CONTROL METHODS:
Comments
Origin: Native from Mexico to Ecuador.
Notes: Introduced as a pasture Species. Often Naturalised alongside roads in coastal areas of northern NSW and south-eastern Queensland.