Kingdom Plantae Family Fabaceae Genus Desmodium | Order Fabales Subfamily Faboideae Rank Species | |
Similar Desmodium canadense, Symphyotrichum sericeum, Coreopsis palmata, Dalea candida, Tall cinquefoil | ||
Desmodium illinoense, common name Illinois tick-trefoil, is a plant species native to the central part of the United States including much of the Great Plains and Great Lakes regions. It also occurs in south-central Canada. It prefers sun-lit locations in grasslands.
Desmodium illinoense is a perennial herb sometimes reaching a height of 1.2 m (4 feet), much of the shoot covered with hooked hairs. Leaves are trifoliate, up to 6.3 cm (2.5 inches) long. Leaflets are rounded, with a blunt tip. Flowers are white to lavender with a few white spots near the center. Seed pods are of the variety called "loments," constricted between the seeds so that when the pod is ripe it can break easily into 1-seed segments. These are covered with hooked hairs so that they can easily become attached to fur or to clothing and be carried some distance before falling to the ground and germinating.
