Desmodium viridiflorum (L.) DC.

Velvet Leaf Tick Trefoil

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Velvet Leaf Tick Trefoil is a native herbaceous perennial in the Bean family (Fabaceae). It occurs throughout Alabama. Velvet Leaf Tick Trefoil occurs in dry to mesic hardwood forests, in pine woodlands, in sandhills, on roadsides, and in forest openings and edges. It is a perennial with a tap root. The root crown produces 1-5 upright to sprawling stems that are from 3-6 feet in height. The stems are pubescent and have hooked hairs. The stems are green to brown in color. Leaves are alternate, petiolate, and trifoliate. The leaflets are ovate to rhombic or deltoid in outline, moderately pubescent above and velvety pubescent below. The margins are entire and both surfaces of the leaf have hooked hairs. Flowers are produced in an open panicle. The branches of the panicle are pubescent and have hooked hairs. Flowers are papilionaceous in shape and lavender in color. The standard petal has two spots of white and yellow at its base. The flowers become blue in color as they age. The fruit is a loment with 4-6 segments. It is pubescent with hooked hairs. Velvet Leaf Tick Trefoil is one of the larger members of the genus in Alabama. Plants are commonly called “beggar’s lice” because of the fruit segments that adhere to clothing or fur with their hooked hairs. The foliage of Velvet Leaf Tick Trefoil is browsed by deer and the seed are eaten by Bobwhite Quail and other birds.--A. Diamond

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Native

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