Desmodium marilandicum

Desmodium marilandicum
Photo taken by Kevin Robertson
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class:	Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae ⁄ Leguminosae
Genus:	Desmodium
Species:	D. marilandicum
Binomial name
Desmodium marilandicum (L.) DC.
Natural range of Desmodium marilandicum from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common name: Smooth small-leaf ticktrefoil

Ecology

Habitat

It is found in pine-oak-hickory woodlands, open, upland pine, dry ridges, and sandhills (FSU Herbarium). Is found in mostly human disturbed areas such as woodlands bordering the road, clearing in a live-oak woodland, clearing between pineland and field, edge of mixed woods around a campground, sterile hillside, and abandoned fields (FSU Herbarium). Requires semi-shaded to open areas. It associates with areas with loamy sand and clayey soil types (FSU Herbarium).

Associated species include Desmodium marilandicum (FSU Herbarium).

Phenology

It has been observed flowering from August through October (FSU Herbarium). Has been observed fruiting from September through November (FSU Herbarium).

Fire ecology

It can withstand areas with annual burns and winter burns (FSU Herbarium).

References and notes

Florida State University Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium database. URL: http://herbarium.bio.fsu.edu. Last accessed: June 2014. Collectors: Loran C. Anderson, R. K. Godfrey, V. Sullivan, J. Wooten, A. F. Clewell, R. Kral, R. Komarek, T. MacClendon, - Boothes; K. Blum, Norlan C. Henderson, John W. Thieret, H. R. Reed, Delzie Demaree, A. C. Mathews, A. E. Radford, G. W. Parmelee, and H. A. Wahl. States and Counties: Alabama: Cleburne, Franklin, and Russell. Arkansas: Drew. Florida: Jackson and Leon. Georgia: Baker and Decatur. Indiana: Elkhart. Louisiana: Morehouse and Natchitoches. Michigan: Barry. Mississippi: Pearl River. Missouri: Henry. North Carolina: Orange and Surry. Pennsylvania: Venango. Virginia: Montgomery.