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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Desmodium tortuosum

Desmodium tortuosum (Sw.) DC.

Dixie Ticktrefoil

Fabaceae (Pea family)

Synonym(s): Desmodium annuum, Desmodium purpureum, Meibomia purpurea, Meibomia tortuosa

USDA Symbol: DETO

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), HI (I), PR (N), VI (N)

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual , Perennial
Habit: Herb , Subshrub
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: Up to about 6 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , SC , TX

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FAC FACU FACU FACU FACU
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Web Reference

Webref 57 - Atlas of Florida Plants (2020) Institute for Systematic Botany
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Research Literature

Reslit 208 - Florida Beggarweed (Desmodium tortuosum) Growth and Development in Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) (1991) J. Cardina and B. J. Brecke
Reslit 626 - The interaction of pyridate and 2,4-DB in peanut (Arachis hypogaea), Florida beggarweed (Desmodium tortuosum), and sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia) (1998) T. V. Hicks, G. R. Wehtje and T. L. Grey
Reslit 955 - Interactions of Foliarly Applied Herbicides on Three Weed Species in Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) (1991) J. D. Moore and P. A. Banks
Reslit 1132 - Evaluation of allelopathic potential of wood chips for weed suppression in horticultural production systems (2005) B. Rathinasabapathi, J. Ferguson and M. Gal
Reslit 1271 - Environmental factors affecting absorption and bio-efficacy of glyphosate in Florida beggarweed (Desmodium tortuosum) (2001) S. D. Sharma and M. Singh
Reslit 1469 - A review of the biology and ecology of Florida beggarweed (Desmodium tortuosum) (2004) T. M. Webster and J. Cardina
Reslit 1541 - The genera Desmodium and Hylodesmum (Fabaceae) in Alabama (2008) M. Woods
Reslit 1929 - Variability in seed dormancy and germination potential in Desmodium Desv.(Leguminosae) (1991) E. A. Veasey and P. S. Martins
Reslit 1952 - Effects of Compost Heat and Phytotoxins on Germination of Certain Florida Weed Seeds (1991) A. Shiralipour and D. B. McConnell
Reslit 2271 - The influence of water stress on the physiology and competition of soybean (Glycine max) and Florida beggarweed (Desmodium tortuosum) (1989) B. S. Griffin, D. G. Shilling, J. M. Bennett and W...

This information was provided by the Florida WIldflower Foundation.
Search More Titles in Research Literature

Additional resources

USDA: Find Desmodium tortuosum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Desmodium tortuosum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Desmodium tortuosum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-07-11
Research By: Joseph A. Marcus

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