FABACEAE Trib. Desmodieae (Bentham) Hutchinson [Draft]

Huang Puhua; H. Ohashi

25. TRIFIDACANTHUS Merrill, Philipp. J. Sci., Bot. 12: 269. 1917.

三叉刺属  san cha ci shu

Shrubs, erect, spinose. Spines rigid, straight, sharp, trifid. Leaves 1-foliolate, entire; stipules scarious, striate; stipels minute. Racemes axillary, short; bracts broadly ovate, minute; bracteole absent. Calyx membranous; tube short, 5-lobed; lobes ovate-lanceolate, lower lobes 3, upper 2 lobes connate. Corolla purple; standard broadly obovate, base cuneate, not or very shortly clawed; wings narrowly elliptic; keel slightly falcate, apex obtuse. Stamens diadelphous. Ovary linear, ca. 6-ovuled. Pod (3–)5–7-jointed; upper suture straight or slightly undulate, lower suture deeply undulate between articles.

Monotypic genus: China (Hainan), Indonesia, Philippines (Luzon), Vietnam.

1. Trifidacanthus unifoliolatus Merrill, Philipp. J. Sci., Bot. 12: 269. 1917.

三叉刺  san cha ci

Desmodium horridum Steenis; D. unifoliolatum (Merrill) Steenis.

Shrubs, 1–2 m tall; spines 3–5 cm. Leaves alternate; petiole 2–4 mm, pubescent; blade elliptic or oblong-elliptic to linear-oblong, 1.5–6 × 0.7–1.5 cm, nearly leathery, distinctly reticulate veined, both surfaces glabrous, apex rounded, mucronate, sometimes emarginate. Racemes ca. 3 cm, sparsely pilose; bracts numerous around base of rachises, striate. Pedicels ca. 5 mm, often fascicled at node of rachis. Flowers ca. 1 cm. Calyx ca. 3 mm, sparsely pubescent; upper lobe triangular-ovate. Ovary slightly pubescent; style glabrous. Pod stalked, straight, flat and thin, (2–)3–4 cm, pubescent, reticulate veined; lower suture indented, upper suture straight or slightly undulate; articles 6–7 × ca. 4 mm, lateral surfaces reticulate veined. Fl. Apr–Jul, fr. Sep–Oct.

Dry thickets of savannas, sparse forests of river banks; ca. 200 m. Hainan [Indonesia (Lesser Sunda Island), Philippines, Vietnam].

26. DENDROLOBIUM (Wight & Arnott) Bentham in Miquel, Pl. Jungh. 215. 1852.

假木豆属  jia mu dou shu

Desmodium subgen. Dendrolobium Wight & Arnott, Prodr. 1: 223. 1834; Desmodium sect. Dendrolobium (Wight & Arnott) Bentham.

Shrubs or small trees. Leaves 3-foliolate or rarely 1-foliolate, stipulate and stipellulate; leaflets entire or shallowly undulate; terminal leaflets larger than lateral ones, lateral leaflets often oblique at base. Inflorescences axillary, subumbellate or umbellate to shortly racemose, densely flowered; bracts scarious, striate. Calyx campanulate or tubular, 5-lobed; upper 2 lobes connate, appearing 4-lobed or minutely 2-toothed at apex; lower lobe longer than others. Corolla white or pale yellow; standard obovate, elliptic, or nearly orbicular, clawed, not auriculate; wings narrowly oblong, clawed, auriculate or not. Stamens monadelphous. Ovary sessile, (1- or)2–8-ovuled. Pod ± moniliform, 1–8-jointed, indehiscent when mature. Seed distinctly rim-arillate. Cotyledons epigaeous.

Eighteen species: tropical and subtropical Asia and Australia; five species in China.

1a.     Pod 1-jointed; terminal leaflets narrowly oblong to narrowly oblong-lanceolate, 2–5 × 0.9–1.9 cm           1. D. lanceolatum

1b.     Pod 2–8-jointed; terminal leaflets usually elliptic-ovate to broadly elliptic-ovate, length: width ratio < 2.

2a.    Pod usually 2-jointed; terminal leaflets shorter than 3 cm; lateral veins 5–9 per side of midvein and not reaching margin .....................................................................................  2. D. dispermum

2b.    Pod 3–5(–8)-jointed; terminal leaflets longer than 3 cm; lateral veins 7–17 per side of midvein and reaching margin.

3a.     Lower calyx lobes ca. as long as other lobes; terminal leaflets acute or obtuse at apex  4. D. umbellatum

3b.     Lower calyx lobes longer than other lobes; terminal leaflets acuminate, rounded, or sometimes acute at apex.

4a.     Young shoots triangular; terminal leaflets narrowly elliptic to elliptic, apices acuminate to long acuminate; umbels 20–30-flowered ...............................................  3. D. triangulare

4b.     Young shoots 4–6-sided; terminal leaflets rhombic, obovate, or broadly obovate, apices rounded or sometimes acute; umbels 10–20-flowered........................................... 5. D. rugosum
[from Professor Huang:]

3b.     Young shoots terete; terminal leaflets not above shape; umbel 10–20-flowered.

4a.     Terminal leaflets elliptic to orbicular or ovate to broadly ovate, lateral leaflets ± oblique at base; keel distinctly broader than wings .........................................................  4. D. umbellatum

4b.     Terminal leaflets rhombic or obovate; lateral leaflets usually distinctly oblique at base; keel slightly broader than wings ...........................................................................  5. D. rugosum

1. Dendrolobium lanceolatum (Dunn) Schindler, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 278. 1924.

单节假木豆  dan jie jian mu dou

Lespedeza lanceolata Dunn, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 35: 488. 1903; Desmodium dunnii Merrill.

Shrubs, usually 1–3 m tall. Branches glabrescent. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 0.5–2 cm; terminal leaflet blade oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 2–5 × 0.9–1.9 cm, lateral leaflets smaller, abaxially appressed pubescent, adaxially glabrous, lateral veins 4–7 per side of midvein, not reaching margin, both ends obtuse or acute. Inflorescences subumbellate, 1–1.5 cm, ca. 10-flowered. Pedicel ca. 2 mm, densely appressed pubescent. Calyx ca. 4 mm; upper lobe broader, other lobes narrower. Corolla white or pale yellow; standard elliptic, 6–9 × 5–6 mm, clawed; wings narrowly oblong, 5–6 × 1.5–2 mm; keel nearly falcate, 7–9 × ca. 2.5 mm. Stamens 7–8 mm. Pistil 7–8 mm; ovary pilose; style ca. 7 mm. Pod broadly elliptic or nearly orbicular, 8–10 × 6–7 mm, sessile, 1-jointed, glabrous, distinctly reticulate veined. Seed broadly elliptic, ca. 3 × 2 mm. Fl. May–Aug, fr. Sep–Nov.

Grassy river banks, thickets or sparse forests on mountain slopes; 100–800 m. Hainan [Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam].

1a.     Pod broadly elliptic or nearly orbicular, 8–10 × 6–7 mm ...........................  1a. var. lanceolatum

1b.     Pod nearly orbicular, 4–5.5 × 3–4 mm ..................................................  1b. var. microcarpum

1a. Dendrolobium lanceolatum var. lanceolatum

单节假木豆  dan jie jian mu dou (yuan bian zhong)

Pod broadly elliptic or nearly orbicular, 8–10 × 6–7 mm.

Grassy river banks, thickets or sparse forests on mountain slopes; 100–800 m. Hainan [Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam].

1b. Dendrolobium lanceolatum var. microcarpum H. Ohashi, Ginkgoana 1: 65. 1973.

??Chinese name

Pod nearly orbicular, 4–5.5 × 3–4 mm.

Fujian [Thailand].

2. Dendrolobium dispermum (Hayata) Schindler, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 22: 271. 1926.

两节假木豆  liang jie jia mu dou

Desmodium dispermum Hayata, Icon. Pl. Formosan. 3: 69. 1913.

Shrubs, 2–3 m tall. Branches glabrescent. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 5–12 mm; terminal leaflet blade obovate or elliptic, 1.3–2.5 × 1–1.5 cm, lateral leaflet nearly equal or slightly smaller, abaxially densely appressed sericeous especially on midvein, adaxially sparsely pubescent, lateral veins 5–9 per side of midvein, not reaching margin. Inflorescences shortly racemose, 1–2 cm, 5–7-flowered. Pedicel 2.5–5 mm. Calyx campanulate; lower lobes narrowly triangular; upper lobe broadly ovate, entire or minutely 2-toothed at apex. Corolla white; standard broadly elliptic or nearly orbicular, 8–11 × 7–9 mm; wings 7–10 × 2.5–3 mm, clawed at base; keel 8–11 × ca. 3 mm, base shortly clawed. Stamens ca. 8 mm. Pistil ca. 1 cm; ovary densely sericeous; style ca. 7 mm, glabrous. Pod narrowly oblong, 1–2 × 0.5–0.6 cm, usually 2-jointed, extremely rarely 1-jointed, densely appressed sericeous, reticulate veined. Seed elliptic, ca. 4 × 3 mm. Fl. Oct, fr. Oct–Nov.

* River banks, open places; sea level to 200 m. S Taiwan.

3. Dendrolobium triangulare (Retzius) Schindler, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 10: 279. 1924.

假木豆  jia mu dou

Hedysarum triangulare Retzius, Observ. Bot. 3: 40. 1783; Desmodium cephalotes (Roxburgh) Wight & Arnott; D. triangulare (Retzius) Merrill; H. cephalotes Roxburgh.

Shrubs, 1–2 m tall. Young shoots sharply triangular, densely gray sericeous. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 1–2.5 cm; terminal leaflet blade narrowly obovate-elliptic, 7–15 × 3–6 cm, lateral leaflets slightly smaller, abaxially long sericeous especially on veins, adaxially glabrous, lateral veins 10–17 per side of midvein, straight, reaching margin. Umbels 20–30-flowered. Pedicels not equal, densely appressed sericeous. Calyx 5–9 mm; tube 1.8–3 mm. Corolla white or pale yellow; standard broadly elliptic, shortly clawed; wings and keel oblong, base clawed. Stamens 0.8–1.2 cm. Pistil 0.7–1.4 cm; ovary densely pubescent; style 7–12 mm. Pod 2–2.5 cm, slightly arcuate, appressed sericeous, sessile, 3–6-jointed. Seed elliptic, 2.5–3.5 × 2–2.5 mm. Fl. Aug–Oct, fr. Oct–Dec. 2n = 22@.

Grassy river banks, thickets on mountain slopes; 100–1400 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan [Cambodia, India, Indochina, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa].

The roots are used medicinally to strengthen bones and build muscle.

4. Dendrolobium umbellatum (Linnaeus) Bentham in Miquel, Pl. Jungh. 218. 1852.

伞花假木豆  sna hua jia mu dou

Hedysarum umbellatum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 747. 1753; Desmodium umbellatum (Linnaeus) A. de Candolle.

Shrubs or small trees, to 3 m tall. Young shoots terete, densely appressed sericeous. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 2–5 cm; terminal leaflet blade elliptic or ovate to orbicular or broadly ovate, 5–14(–17) × 3–7(–8.5) cm, lateral leaflets slightly smaller, abaxially appressed long hairy, adaxially glabrescent, lateral veins 7–12 per side of midvein, reaching margin. Umbels often 10–20-flowered. Pedicel 3–7 mm at anthesis, 5–12 mm in fruit. Calyx 4–5 mm, upper lobe 2-toothed at apex. Corolla white; standard broadly obovate or elliptic, 1–1.3 cm × 6–10 mm, clawed; wings narrowly elliptic, 1.1–1.2 cm × 1–2 mm, clawed; keel broader than wings, 1.1–1.2 cm × 3–5 mm, clawed. Stamens ca. 1 cm. Pistil to 1.5 cm; ovary sericeous; style ca. 1.2 cm, glabrous. Pod narrowly oblong, 2–3.5 × 0.4–0.6 cm, (3–)8-jointed, article broadly elliptic or oblong. Seed elliptic or broadly elliptic, ca. 4 × 3 mm. Fl. Aug–Oct, fr. Nov–Mar.

Seashores. Taiwan [India, Indonesia, S Japan (Ryukyus), Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, Australia, Pacific islands].

5. Dendrolobium rugosum (Prain) Schindler, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 279. 1924. [from Prof. Huang]

多皱假木豆  duo zhou jia mu dou

Desmodium rugosum Prain, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt. 2, Nat. Hist. 66: 137. 1897.

Shrubs, to 2.5 m tall. Branches terete, glabrescent; young shoots 4–6-sided. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 1.5–7 cm; leaflet blade rhombic to broadly obovate, 5–15(–17) × (3–)4–13 cm, lateral leaflets 3.5–13 × 2–8 cm, densely appressed tomentose, but afterward almost glabrescent adaxially, densely tomentose with appressed hairs abaxially, lateral veins 9–15 per side of midvein and reaching margin. Umbels often 10–20-flowered; pedicel 2–3 mm at anthesis, afterward 3–7 mm. Calyx 5.5–6.5 mm, 4-lobed, upper lobes entire or minutely 2-toothed at apex. Corolla white; standard broadly obovate or broadly elliptic, 9–12.5 × 7.5–10.5 mm, shortly clawed; wings narrowly elliptic, 9.5–12.5 × 3–4.5 mm, base auriculate on both sides, claw 2.5–3 mm; keel ca. as long as or slightly broader than wings, 9.5–11.5 × 3.5–4.5 mm, claw 2.5–3 mm. Stamens 10–11 mm. Pistil 11–13.5 mm; ovary densely puberulent; style 9–11.5 mm, puberulent in lower half. Pod narrowly oblong, 13–27 × 4–5.5 mm, 2–5-jointed, densely appressed sericeous, both sutures undulate; articles broadly elliptic or nearly orbicular, 5–8 × 3–5 mm. Seeds transversely elliptic, 2.5–2.7 × 3.7–4 mm.

Snow mountain range, streamsides; 800–2800 m. Yunnan [Laos, Myanmar, Thailand].

5. Dendrolobium rugosum (Prain) Schindler, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 27. 1924.

??vernacular name

Desmodium rugosum Prain, J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, Pt. 2, Nat. Hist. 66: 137. 1897.

Shrubs, to 2.5 m tall. Young shoot 4–6-sided, densely sericeous. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 1.5–7 cm; terminal leaflet rhombic, obovate, or broadly obovate, 5–15(–17) × (3–)4–13 cm, abaxially densely tomentose, adaxially densely appressed tomentose but afterward almost glabrescent, principal lateral veins 9–15 per side of midvein, apex rounded to acute; lateral leaflets usually conspicuously oblique. Umbels shortly pedunculate, usually densely 10–20-flowered. Pedicel 2–7 mm, with dense subspreading or retrorse soft hairs. Calyx broadly campanulate, 5.5–6.5 mm; tube 2–2.5 mm; lower lobe distinctly longer than other lobes, 4–5.5 mm. Corolla white; standard broadly obovate or broadly elliptic, 9–12.5 × 7.5–10.5 mm, apex rounded or retuse; keel ca. as long as wings, 9–12.5 mm, apex obtuse to rounded. Stamens 10–11 mm. Pistil 11–13.5 mm; ovary densely puberulent. Pod narrowly oblong, ± moniliform, 1.3–2.7 cm × 4–5.5 mm, very densely appressed sericeous, not reticulate veined, sessile, 2–5-jointed. Seeds elliptic, 2.5–2.7 × 3.7–4 mm.

Thickets. Yunnan [Laos, Myanmar, Thailand].

27. PHYLLODIUM Desvaux, J. Bot. Agric. 1: 123. 1813.

排钱书卫戍  pai qian shu shu

Desmodium sect. Phyllodium (Desvaux) Bentham; D. subgen. Phyllodium (Desvaux) Baker; Dicerma sect. Phyllodium (Desvaux) A. de Candolle.

Shrubs or subshrubs. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, stipulate, stipellulate. Inflorescences terminal, forming a racemose panicle, each umbellate, 4–15-flowered, subtended and enclosed by a pair of persistent leaflike bracts. Calyx campanulate, pubescent, 5-lobed; lower 3 lobes usually longer than upper ones; upper 2 lobes connate and entire or minutely 2-toothed at apex. Corolla white to pale yellow or rarely purple; standard obovate or broadly obovate, clawed or tapering to base; wings narrowly elliptic, clawed and auriculate at base; keel arcuate, base long clawed, auriculate. Stamens 10, monadelphous. Gynoecia longer than androecium. Pod sessile, indehiscent; lower suture more deeply incised, upper suture shallowly undulate, (1- or)2–7-jointed. Seed distinctly rim-arillate around hilum. Cotyledons epigaeous.

Eight species: tropical and subtropical Asia, N Australia; four species in China.

1a.     Terminal leaflet lanceolate or oblong, 13–20 cm, often 4–5 × longer than lateral ones  1. P. longipes

1b.     Terminal leaflet ovate, elliptic, or sometimes obovate, often 5–12 cm, ca. 2 × as long as lateral ones or nearly equal.

2a.    Terminal leaflet slightly longer than lateral ones or nearly equal; leaflike bracts broadly elliptic or broadly ovate; pod slightly pubescent or glabrescent ..............................................  2. P. kurzianum

2b.    Terminal leaflet ca. 2 × as long as lateral ones; leaflike bracts orbicular or broadly elliptic, if broadly elliptic, then pod densely silver-gray tomentose.

3a.     Leaflets adaxially nearly glabrous; leaflike bracts orbicular, slightly pubescent and ciliate; pod usually 2-jointed, glabrous or slightly pubescent and ciliate ...................................  3. P. pulchellum

3b.     Leaflets densely tomentose; leaflike bracts broadly elliptic, densely tomentose; pod often 3- or 4-jointed, densely silver-gray tomentose ..................................................................  4. P. elegans

1. Phyllodium longipes (Craib) Schindler, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 20: 270. 1924.

长叶排钱树  chang ye pai qian shu

Desmodium longipes Craib, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1910: 20. 1910; D. tonkinense Schindler.

Shrubs, ca. 1 m tall. Branchlets densely brown pubescent. Petiole ca. 3 mm; terminal leaflet blade lanceolate or oblong, 13–20 × 3.7–6 cm, lateral ones obliquely ovate, 3–4 × 1.5–2 cm, abaxially densely brown soft hairy, adaxially sparsely pubescent or glabrescent, lateral veins 8–15 per side of midvein, distinctly reticulate veined. Flowers (5–)9–15, enclosed by pair of leaflike bracts; leaflike ones obliquely ovate, 2.5–3.5 × 2–2.7 cm. Pedicel 4–6 mm. Calyx 4–5 mm, white tomentose. Corolla white or pale yellow; standard obovate, 3–9 mm, clawed; wings 7–8 mm, base auriculate, clawed; keel arcuate, 8–8.5 mm. Ovary 3.5–4 mm, 7- or 8-ovuled. Pod narrowly oblong, 0.8–1.5 cm × ca. 3.5 mm, lower suture more deeply undulate, upper suture slightly undulate, both surfaces downy, 2–5-jointed; articles broadly oblong to nearly quadrangular. Seed broadly elliptic, ca. 3 × 2.3 mm. Fl. Aug–Sep, fr. Oct–Nov.

Thickets, dense forests; 900–1000 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, S Yunnan [Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam].

2. Phyllodium kurzianum (Kuntze) H. Ohashi, Ginkgoana 1: 272. 1973.

长柱排钱树  chang zhu pai qian shu

Meibomia kurziana Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 1: 197. 1891; Desmodium grande Kurz; D. kurzii Craib; Phyllodium grande (Kurz) Schindler; P. kurzii (Craib) W. Y. Chun.

Shrubs, much branched, 1–2 m tall. Branchlets densely gray-yellow tomentose. Petiole 2–3 mm; terminal leaflet blade ovate or elliptic, 7–16 × 5–11 cm, lateral ones 7–11 × 5–6 cm, abaxially densely white tomentose, adaxially appressed white pubescent, lateral veins 8–10 per side of midvein, reaching margin, both surfaces distinctly reticulate veined. Flowers 5–11, enclosed by pair of leaflike bracts; bracts broadly elliptic or broadly ovate, 2–3.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm. Pedicel 5–10 mm. Calyx 2–3.5 mm. Corolla white or pale yellow; standard ca. 10 × 5 mm, clawed; wings ca. 8 × 1.5 mm, clawed; keel ca. 9 mm, base long clawed, auriculate. Ovary 2.5–3 mm; style ca. 1 cm, slender. Pod 1–2 × 0.4–0.5 cm, slightly pubescent or glabrescent, 3- or 4-jointed; articles nearly quadrangular, reticulate veined. Seed orbicular, 2.3–2.7 mm in diam. Fl. Jul–Aug, fr. Oct–Nov.

Thickets on mountain slopes; below 1000 m. W Guangdong, S Guangxi, SW and W Yunnan [Myanmar, N Thailand, Vietnam].

3. Phyllodium pulchellum (Linnaeus) Desvaux, J. Bot. Agric. 1: 124. 1815.

排钱树  pai qian shu

Hedysarum pulchellum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 747. 1753; Desmodium pulchellum (Linnaeus) Bentham; Dicerma pulchellum (Linnaeus) A. de Candolle.

Shrubs, 0.5–2 m tall. Branchlets white or gray pubescent. Petiole 5–7 mm; terminal leaflet blade ovate, elliptic, or obovate, 6–10 × 2.5–4.5. cm, ca. 2 × as long as lateral leaflets, abaxially densely pubescent on veins, adaxially sparsely pubescent, lateral veins 6–10 per side of midvein. Flowers 5 or 6, enclosed by pair of bracts; bracts leaflike, orbicular, 1–1.5 cm in diam., both surfaces slightly pubescent, ciliate. Pedicel 2–3 mm, pubescent. Calyx ca. 2 mm. Corolla white or pale yellow; standard 5–6 mm, base attenuate, shortly and broadly clawed; wings ca. 5 × 1 mm, auriculate, clawed; keel ca. 6 × 2 mm, clawed, not auriculate. Pistil 6–7 mm; style 4.5–5.5 mm. Pod ca. 6 × 2.5 mm, slightly constricted on both sutures, usually 2-jointed; articles glabrous or sparsely pubescent and ciliate. Seed broadly elliptic or nearly orbicular, 2.2–2.8 × ca. 2 mm. Fl. Jul–Sep, fr. Oct–Nov. 2n = 22.

Waste places on hills, roadsides, sparse forests on mountain slopes; 200–2000 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, S Jiangxi, Taiwan, S Yunnan [Cambodia, India, Japan (Ryukyu Is.), Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; N Australia].

The roots and leaves are used medicinally for reducing fever, and as an antiphlogistic and diuretic.

4. Phyllodium elegans (Loureiro) Desvaux, Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris 4: 324. 1826.

毛排钱树  mao pai qian shu

Hedysarum elegans Loureiro, Fl. Cochinch. 2: 450. 1790; Desmodium blandum van Meeuwen; D. elegans (Loureiro) Bentham; Dicerma elegans A. de Candolle.

Shrubs, 0.5–1.5 m tall. Branchlets and petioles densely yellow tomentose. Petiole ca. 5 mm; terminal leaflet blade ovate or elliptic to obovate, 7–10 × 3–5 cm, lateral one obliquely ovate, ca. 1/2 as long as terminal one, both surfaces densely tomentose especially abaxially, lateral veins 9 or 10 per side of midvein, both ends obtuse. Flowers 4–9, enclosed by a pair of bracts; bracts leaflike, broadly elliptic, 1.4–3.5 × 0.9–2.5 cm, densely yellow tomentose, base oblique, apex emarginate. Pedicel 2–4 mm. Calyx campanulate, 3–4 mm. Corolla white or pale green; standard 6–7 × 3–4 mm, base attenuate; wings 5–6 × ca. 1 mm, base auriculate, clawed; keel larger than wings, 7–8 × ca. 2 mm, clawed. Pistil 8–10 mm. Pod 1–2 × 0.3–0.4 cm, densely silver-gray tomentose, lower suture undulate, upper suture straight or shallowly undulate, usually 3- or 4-jointed. Seed elliptic, ca. 2.5 × 1.8–2 mm. Fl. Jul–Aug, fr. Oct–Nov.

Plains, waste places on hills, grasslands, sparse forests, thickets on mountain slopes; sea level to 1100 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Yunnan [Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam].

The roots and leaves are used medicinally for reducing fever, and as an antiphlogistic and diuretic.

28. APHYLLODIUM (A. de Candolle) Gagnepain, Notul. Syst. (Paris) 3: 254. 1916.

两节豆属  liang jie dou shu

Dicerma sect. Aphyllodium A. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 339. 1825; Desmodium sect. Dicerma (A. de Candolle) Bentham; Desmodium subgen. Dicerma (A. de Candolle) Baker; Dicerma A. de Candolle, nom. illeg.

Subshrubs or shrubs. Leaves digitate-trifoliolate; stipules united, amplexicaul, mostly 3-lobed at apex, stipellules very minute. Inflorescences racemose, terminal and axillary; bracts narrowly triangular, bracteoles at base of calyx, 2–5 flowered at each node. Calyx campanulate or infundibular, with appressed long hairs and minute uncinate hairs, 5-lobed; lower lobes nearly equal to or longer than upper ones, upper lobes 2-connate, entire or minutely 2-toothed at apex. Corolla red; standard narrowly obovate to obovate, not auriculate; wings narrowly oblong; keel narrowly elliptic, shorter than wings, auriculate, clawed. Stamens diadelphous (9 + 1). Gynoecia sessile. Pod mostly 2- or occasionally 1-jointed, both sutures deeply indented. Seeds distinctly rim-arillate around hilum.

Seven species: tropical Asia to N Australia.

1. Aphyllodium biarticulatum (Linnaeus) Gagnepain, Notul. Syst. (Paris) 3: 254. 1916.

两节豆  liang jie dou

Hedysarum biarticulatum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 747. 1753; Aphyllodium australiense (Schindler) H. Ohashi; Desmodium biarticulatum (Linnaeus) F. Mueller; Dicerma biarticulatum (Linnaeus) A. de Candolle, nom. illegit.; Echinolobium biarticulatum (Linnaeus) Desvaux.

Subshrubs, 40–70 cm tall. Stem erect or creeping; young shoots with appressed soft hairs. Petiole 5–7 mm; leaflet blade narrowly obovate or narrowly elliptic, 1–1.8 cm × 3–8 mm, abaxially appressed pilose, adaxially glabrous, base cuneate to rounded, apex obtuse, mucronate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, simple, 5–15 cm. Pedicel 2–3 mm. Calyx ca. 3.5 mm; lobes lanceolate, ca. 2 × as long as tube. Standard 5–7 × 2.5–4 mm, not auriculate and clawed; wings 5–7.5 × 0.8–1.3 mm, ± auriculate, claw 1.5–2.5 mm. Ovary puberulent, 2-ovuled; style glabrous. Pod erect, ca. 1 cm, both sutures deeply indented, articles transversely broadly elliptic to orbicular, with dense appressed or spreading hairs, reticulate. Seeds transversely broadly elliptic to transversely elliptic, ca. 1 × 1.2–1.5 mm. Fl. Aug–Sep, fr. Sep–Oct. 2n = 22.

Waste places, grassy forest margins. Hainan [Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; N Australia].

29A. OHWIA H. Ohashi, Sci. Rep. Tohoku Univ. ser. 4 (Biol.) 40(3): 242. 1999.

??Chinese name

Catenaria Benth. (1852), non Roussel (1806); Desmodium sect. Catenaria (Bentham) Bentham; Desmodium subgen. Catenaria (Bentham) Baker.

Shrubs. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; stipules persistent; petiole winged. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, pseudoracemose or paniculate. Calyx narrowly campanulate, 4-lobed, upper lobe bifid at apex, lowest lobe longer than lateral ones. Corolla white to pale yellow; petals slightly callose, distinctly veined; standard elliptic, clawed; keel longer than wings. Androecium diadelphous; vexillary stamen free. Disk present around base of gynoecium. Pistil stipitate; style curved upward; stigma small. Loments linear; articles narrowly elliptic. Cotyledons epigaeous.

Two species: SE and E Asia.

1a.     Apices of leaflets attenuate to caudate; flowers 6–6.5 mm; corolla greenish or yellowish white ..            1. O. caudata

1b.     Apices of leaflets obtuse; flowers ca. 9 mm; corolla pale yellow ..................... 2. O. sinoluteola

1. Ohwia caudata (Thunberg) H. Ohashi, Sci. Rep. Tohoku Univ., ser. 4 (Biol.) 40: 243. 1999.

_ﾁﾈｱﾈｬ??  xiao huai hua

Hedysarum caudatum Thunberg in Murray, Syst. Veg. ed. 14, 675. 1784; Catenaria caudata (Thunberg) Schindler; C. laburnifolium (Poiret) Bentham; Desmodium caudatum (Thunberg) A. de Candolle; D. laburnifolium (Poiret) A. de Candolle; H. laburnifolium Poiret.

Shrubs or subshrubs, erect, 1–2 m tall, much branched. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 1.5–4 cm, often very narrowly winged; terminal leaflet blade lanceolate or oblong, 5–9 × 1.5–2.5 cm, lateral ones smaller, abaxially apparently glaucous and more densely hairy on raised veins, adaxially lucid and glabrescent, base cuneate, apex acuminate or acute. Racemes terminal or axillary. 5–30 cm; rachis densely pubescent intermixed with minute uncinate and appressed or spreading longer hairs, 2-flowered at each node. Pedicel 3–4 mm. Calyx 3.5–4 mm, upper 2 lobes united for 3/4 length or more. Corolla green-white or yellow-white; standard elliptic, shortly clawed; wings narrowly oblong, clawed; keel oblong, clawed. Ovary densely appressed pilose on both sutures. Pod linear, flat, 5–7 cm, sessile, 4–8-jointed; articles narrowly ellipsoidal, 9–12 × ca. 3 mm, with dense, short, brown, uncinate hairs. Fl. Jul–Sep, fr. Sep–Nov. 2n = 22@.

Mountain slopes, roadsides, grasslands, streamsides, forest margins; 100–1000 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam].

The roots and leaves are used medicinally as a diuretic, and as a pesticide.

[note: Professor Huang treats this species as Desmodium caudatum].

2. Ohwia luteola H. Ohashi, J. Jap. Bot. 81: 000. 2006, needs a nom. nov.??.

??Chinese name

Desmodium luteolum H. Ohashi & T. Nemoto, J. Jap. Bot. 73: 86. 1998, non Standley (1938); Desmodium sinoluteolum H. Ohashi & T. Nemoto; Ohwia luteola (H. Ohashi & T. Nemoto) H. Ohashi.

Shrubs, ca. 50 cm tall. Stems glabrescent. Leaves alternate, stipulate, 3-foliolate, petiolate; leaflets stipellate, narrowly elliptic, principal lateral veins looped within margin, apex obtuse. Stipules persistent, narrowly triangular, 5–7 mm; petiole slightly winged; terminal leaflet stipellate, ± larger than lateral ones, 4–5 × 1.5–2 cm, abaxially appressed straight pubescent on veins, adaxially glabrous; rachis 5–8 mm, slightly winged, sulcate adaxially; lateral leaflets pulvinate, sessile, stipellate adaxially; stipels filiform, 2–4 mm. Inflorescences terminal, pseudoracemose, 5–7-flowered per node, appressed pubescent and with minute hooked hairs, ca. 19 cm when young (probably shortly paniculate at lower nodes when mature); primary bracts narrowly triangular, 3–4 mm. Flowers ca. 9 mm; pedicel 2–4 mm, pubescent; bracteoles 2 at base of calyx, ovate, ca. 0.5 mm. Calyx campanulate, symmetrical to base, 5-lobed but upper two united near to tip, outside densely appressed pubescent; tube ca. 1.5 mm; lobes ca. 2 mm, almost equal in length, lateral one narrowly triangular, lowest one slightly longer than others, inside appressed pubescent. Corolla pale yellow, distinctly veined; standard elliptic, ca. 8 × 5 mm, with a claw ca. 1 mm, slightly auriculate at base, apex slightly retuse; wings smaller than keel, ca. 7 mm, apex obtuse; lamina narrowly elliptic, ca. 5.5 × 2 mm, slightly auriculate at upper side of base, claw 1–1.5 mm; keel 8–8.5 mm, apex rounded, lamina ca. 7 × 3 mm, auriculate at upper side of base, claw 1.5–2 mm. Androecium diadelphous; vexillary stamen free from stamens of both sides and with small openings (fenestrae) at both sides at base; remaining 9 stamens connate for 4/5 or more of the length. Disk present at base of pistil, ca. 0.3 mm tall. Pistil slightly S-shaped, 7.5–8 mm, stipitate, stipe ca. 0.5 mm, glabrous; ovary 4–4.5 mm, 4-ovuled, densely appressed puberulent; style curved upward, pilose on both sutures; stigma small. Pod and seeds unknown. Fl. Sep.

* Riverside thickets; 400–500 m. NE Yunnan.

[note: Professor Huang treats Desmodium luteolum as synonymous with Desmodium caudatum]

29. DESMODIUM Desvaux, J. Bot. Agric. 1: 122. 1813, nom. cons.

山蚂蝗属  shan ma huang shu

Herbs, subshrubs, or shrubs. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate or 1-foliolate by reduction of lateral leaflets, stipulate, stipellulate. Flowers usually smaller, in racemes or panicles, axillary or terminal, rarely solitary or binate in leaf axils. Bracts persistent or early deciduous; bracteoles present or absent. Calyx campanulate, 4- or 5-lobed, bilabiate; upper 2 lobes connate for all or most of length, entire or 2-toothed at apex, lower lobes free, longest. Corolla white, green-white, pink, purple, or violet; standard elliptic or obovate to nearly orbicular; wings ± adherent to keel, wholly clawed. Stamens diadelphous (9 + 1), rarely monadelphous. Ovary usually sessile, with several to many ovules. Pod compressed, usually indehiscent, transversely segmented, upper (adaxial) suture slightly constricted or straight, lower (abaxial) one constricted; articles mostly ellipsoidal to quadrangular. Cotyledons epigaeous.

About 275 species: mostly in subtropical and tropical regions; 30 species in China.

1a.     Stamens monadelphous, axillary ones connate to above middle (only D. sequax to below middle).

2a.    Stipules linear; keel equal to wings; pod moniliform, with dense rust-colored or brown minute hooked hairs ..................................................................................................................  32. D. sequax

2b.    Stipules mostly narrowly ovate; keel shorter than wings; pod not moniliform, with hooked and straight hairs or glabrous.

3a.     Bracteoles absent.

4a.     Pod densely appressed sericeous; leaflets abaxially sericeous, midvein and lateral veins conspicuous ..................................................................................................  25. D. multiflorum

4b.     Pod glabrous; leaflets abaxially velutinous, veins inconspicuous  ..  26. D. amethystinum

3b.     Bracteoles present.

5a.     Terminal leaflets 5–17 cm wide.

6a.    Young branchlets white pubescent; terminal leaflet ovate or broadly ovate, base oblique, abaxially densely sericeous ................................................................  30. D. megaphyllum

6b.    Young branchlets densely white- or gray tomentose; terminal leaflet orbicular, ovate, or obovate, base not oblique, abaxially densely gray or white tomentose .....  31. D. yunnanense

5b.     Terminal leaflets 1–5 cm wide.

7a.    Terminal leaflets lanceolate or lanceolate-linear, more than 4 × as long as wide; pod glabrous ...........................................................................................  29. D. stenophyllum

7b.    Terminal leaflets not as above, if lanceolate, then less than 2 × as long as wide; pod hairy or subglabrous.

8a.     Apex of standard emarginate; keel not mucronate at apex; young branchlets pubescent  27. D. elegans

8b.     Apex of standard orbicular, not emarginate; keel mucronate at apex; young branchlets subglabrous ......................................................................  28. D. callianthum

1b.     Stamens diadelphous, axillary ones free.

9a.    Pod linear, articles linear, oblong, or oblong-linear to narrowly obovoid, ca. 3 × as long as wide or more.

10a.   Leaves 1-foliolate.

11a.   Leaves 1-foliolate, leaflet blade ovate, ovate-elliptic, or lanceolate, 5–12 × 2–5 cm; pod 8–12 cm, 6–8-jointed, articles longer than 12 mm ......................................................  4. D. zonatum

11b.   Leaves often 1-foliolate, sometimes 3-foliolate near base of stem, leaflet blade broadly triangular or broadly ovate, 2–3.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm; pod 2–3.5 cm, 3–5-jointed, articles 6–7 mm  5. D. gracillimum

10b.   Leaves 3-foliolate.

12a.   Terminal leaflet elliptic-oblong, 1–4 × 0.7–2.5 cm, lateral veins 4 or 5; stipules ca. 2 mm           6. D. scorpiurus

12b.   Terminal leaflet basically ovate-elliptic, 4.5–10(–15 ) × 3–6(–8) cm, lateral veins 7–12; stipules 7–10 mm.

13a.   Pod plicate when young; pedicels deflexed after flowering; flowers opening almost at same time; articles oblong; leaves always 3-foliolate .......................................  3. D. hispidum

13b.   Pod always straight; pedicels not deflexed after flowering; flowers opening one by one; articles linear to narrowly oblong; leaves 3- or 1–3-foliolate.

14a.   Terminal leaflet ovate or ovate-elliptic, lateral veins 9–12; upper lobe of calyx entire or nearly so at apex .................................................................................  1. D. laxiflorum

14b.   Terminal leaflet rhombic-ovate or obovate, lateral veins 7–9; upper lobe of calyx 2-toothed at apex .......................................................................................  2. D. diffusum

9b.    Pod narrowly oblong, articles often orbicular, nearly oblong, or nearly quadrate, nearly as long as wide or slightly longer.

15a.   Leaves 1-foliolate (D. styracifolium sometimes 3-foliolate).

16a.   Leaflets orbicular to broadly obovate, reniform, or complanate-rhombic.

17a.   Leaflets orbicular to broadly obovate, abaxially densely adpressed white sericeous, lateral veins 8–10 .......................................................................................  20. D. styracifolium

17b.   Leaflets reniform or compressed-rhombic, abaxially glabrous; lateral veins 3 or 4  21. D. renifolium

16b.   Leaflets not as above, longer than wide.

18a.   Leaflets 1–2.2 × 0.7–1.2 cm; pod glabrous .....................................  19. D. rubrum

18b.   Leaflets longer than 3 cm; pod hairy or nearly glabrous.

19a.   Flowers crowded on peduncles; leaflets yellow-brown velutinous on both surfaces          14. D. velutinum

19b.   Flowers lax, scattered on peduncles; leaflets adaxially glabrous, abaxially pubescent or villous.

20a.   Flowering pedicel ca. 12 mm; pod subglabrous, glabrescent  13. D. oblongum

20b.   Flowering pedicel 2–5 mm; pod with hooked hairs.

21a.   Corolla green-white; petioles with dense straight and minute hooked hairs  11. D. gangeticum

21b.   Corolla purple; petioles sparsely villous  12. D. flexuosum var. cordifoliolatum

15b.   Leaves 3-foliolate (D. tortuosum, D. dichotomum, D. reticulatum, D. heterophyllum and D. microphyllum sometimes mixed 1-foliolate leaves near base of stem).

22a.   Terminal leaflet shorter than 2.5 cm.

23a.   Racemes 6-flowered to numerous.

24a.   Leaflets obtriangular-ovate or obovate, 1–2.5 × 1–1.6 cm; branchlets spreading yellow-brown or rust-colored pubescent; seed without aril ..........................  15. D. griffithianum

24b.   Larger leaflets narrowly obovate-elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 1–1.2 × 0.4–0.6 cm, smaller leaflets obovate or elliptic, 0.2–0.6 × 0.15–0.4 cm; branchlets nearly glabrous; seed arillate         22. D. microphyllum

23b.   Flowers solitary, in pairs at axils, or 2 or 3 scattered on peduncle.

25a.   Terminal leaflet broadly elliptic or broadly obovate; flowering pedicel 10–25 mm; articles of pod longer than 3.5–4 mm ....................................................  23. D. heterophyllum

25b.   Terminal leaflet obcordate, obtriangular, or obovate; flowering pedicel 3–8 mm; articles of pod shorter than 2.5 mm ...............................................................  24. D. triflorum

22b.   Terminal leaflet usually longer than 2.5 cm.

26a.   Racemes shorter than 7 cm; flowers dense.

27a.   Rachis densely yellowish spreading hooked-hairy; pod erect  16. D. heterocarpon

27b.   Rachis densely gray-white adpressed villous; pod pendent  17. D. strigillosum var. pendenticarpum

26b.   Racemes longer than 10 cm; flowers slightly sparse.

28a.   Terminal leaflet narrowly ovate, or ovate-elliptic to narrowly elliptic, adaxially glabrous    18. D. reticulatum

28b.   Terminal leaflet elliptic, broadly elliptic, ovate, broadly ovate, or rhombic-ovate to obovate, adaxially sparsely hairy.

29a.   Upper suture of pod straight or slightly undulate, lower suture constricted between articles.

30a.   Shrubs with terete and glabrescent branches; terminal leaflet elliptic or obovate     9. D. concinnum

30b.   Prostrate or climbing herbs with triangular stems; terminal leaflet broadly ovate to rhombic, rarely elliptic .................................................................  10. D. intortum

29b.   Both sutures of pod constricted between articles, moniliform.

31a.   Flowering pedicel 8–17 mm, with minute hooked and glandular hairs; bracts caducous; leaflets sparsely hairy on both surfaces ..........................  7. D. tortuosum

31b.   Flowering pedicel 2–5 mm, with minute hooked hairs and minute pubescence; bracts persistent; leaflets adaxially with adpressed and intermixed hooked hairs, abaxially densely adpressed hairy .........................................................  8. D. dichotomum

1. Desmodium laxiflorum A. de Candolle, Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 4: 100. 1825.

大叶拿身草  da ye na shen cao

Desmodium macrophyllum Desvaux; D. recurvatum (Roxburgh) Graham ex Wight & Arnott.

Subshrubs or shrubs, erect, 30–120 cm tall. Young branchlets with adpressed and minute hooked hairs. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 1.5–4 cm; terminal leaflet blade ovate or ovate-elliptic, 9–19 × 3–8 cm, abaxially densely yellow sericeous, adaxially sparsely adpressed hairy, lateral veins 9–12, apex shortly acuminate. Racemes terminal and axillary, often 2 axillary, to 28 cm; rachis pubescent intermixed with minute hooked hairs, 2–7-flowered, fascicled. Pedicel 5–10 mm, densely hairy as rachis. Calyx densely villous; upper lobes entire or nearly so at apex. Corolla white to violet, 4–7 mm; standard broadly obovate or orbicular; wings auriculate and clawed; keel clawed. Pod linear, 2–6 cm, with dense, minute, hooked hairs, 4–12-jointed, articles oblong, both sutures nearly not constricted between articles. Fl. Aug–Oct, fr. Oct–Nov. 2n = 22.

Secondary forest margins, thickets, grassy slopes; 200–2400 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam].

2. Desmodium diffusum A. de Candolle, Ann. Sci. Nat. 4: 100. 1825.

单序山蚂蝗  dan xu shan ma juang

Hedysarum diffusum (A. de Candolle) Roxburgh (1832), non Willdenow (1801); Desmodium laxiflorum var. formosense Ohwi; D. laxiflorum subsp. parvifolum H. Ohashi & T. T. Chen; D. unibotryosum C. Chen & X. J. Cui.

Subshrubs or shrubs, nearly erect, 30–100 cm tall. Branchlets with adpressed and minute hooked hairs. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 1-4 cm; terminal leaflet blade rhombic-ovate or obovate, shorter than 9 cm, abaxially densely yellow sericeous, adaxially sparsely adpressed hairy, lateral veins 7–9, apex acute. Racemes solitary, often terminal, to 25 cm; rachis pubescent intermixed with minute hooked hairs. Pedicel 3–5 mm, densely hairy as rachis. Calyx densely villous; upper lobes minutely 2-toothed at apex. Corolla white to violet, 4–7 mm; standard broadly obovate or orbicular. Pod linear, 2–6 cm, with dense, minute, hooked hairs, 4–12-jointed, articles oblong, both sutures distinctly constricted between articles. Fl. and fr. Aug–Nov.

Thickets, forest margins, mountain slopes; 100–2500 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Taiwan, Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Vietnam].

This species has been confused with Desmodium laxiflorum. However, it is well distinguished from it by the terminal leaflets rhombic-ovate or obovate, shorter than 9 cm, acute at apex, lateral veins often 7–9 pairs; racemes solitary; pedicel 3–5 mm; upper calyx lobe 2-toothed at the apex; both sutures of the pod distinctly constricted between the articles.

3. Desmodium hispidum Franchet, Pl. Delavay. 174. 1889.

??Chinese name

Uraria henryi Schindler; U. hispida (Franchet) Schindler.

Shrubs or subshrubs, erect, 0.5–1 m tall. Stems striate; branches densely yellowish villous; old branches purple, glabrous. Leaves 3-foliolate; stipules ovate or narrowly triangular-ovate, 10–15 × 3–4 mm; petiole 1–2 cm, densely yellowish villous; petiolules 4–6 mm; leaflets papery; terminal leaflet ovate to elliptic, 5–17 × 3–8 cm, abaxially yellowish villous, adaxially densely hispid, glabrescent, lateral veins 8–11 per side of midvein, reaching margin, margin entire, midvein and lateral veins prominent on both surfaces. Inflorescences densely yellowish villous, paniculate when terminal, fasciculate with (1 or)2–4 pseudoracemes or sometimes panicles at axils, 8–25 cm; primary bracts narrowly triangular-ovate, 4–5 × ca. 1 mm at base; secondary bracts 1.5–2.5 mm. Pedicel 4–5 mm, deflexed after flowering. Bracteoles absent. Flowers 2–8 per node, fasciculate, opening almost at same time. Calyx 3–4 mm, outside densely yellowish villous, 4-lobed; lobes lanceolate, subequal. Corolla white, pale yellow, or greenish white, 4–5 mm; standard elliptic to broadly elliptic, without auricles, claw ca. 1 mm; wings elliptic, claw ca. 1 mm; keel ca. 4 mm, auriculate, claw ca. 1 mm. Androecium diadelphous. Pod sessile, 1.2–1.8 cm, with dense hooked hairs, plicate when young, straight when mature, 4–7-jointed, both sutures undulate; articles elliptic, 2.5–3 × ca. 1.5 mm. Seeds elliptic. Fl. and fr. Sep–Dec.

700–2400 m. Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan [India, Myanmar].

4. Desmodium zonatum Miquel, Fl. Ned. Ind. 1(1): 250. 1855.

单叶拿身草  dan ye na shen cao

Desmodium shimadai Hayata; Meibomia zonata (Miquel) Kuntze.

Subshrubs, erect, 30–80 cm tall. Young branches with dense, minute, hooked hairs, intermixed with sparse adpressed hairs. Leaves 1-foliolate; petiole 1–2.5 cm; leaflet blade ovate, ovate-elliptic, or lanceolate, 5–12 × 2–5 cm, abaxially densely yellow-brown pubescent, adaxially glabrous or with sparse minute, hooked hairs on veins. Racemes usually terminal, 10–25 cm, densely hooked-hairy and sparsely long, straight pubescent on rachis, 2- or 3-flowered at each node. Pedicel 4–10 mm. Calyx 2.5–3 mm; lobes longer than tube. Corolla white or pink, 6–7 mm; standard obovate, attenuate to base; wings narrowly obovate-elliptic, auriculate, shortly clawed; keel curved. Pod linear, 8–12 cm, both sutures shallowly undulate, 6–8-jointed; articles oblong-linear, longer than 12 mm, with dense, yellow, minute, hooked hairs. Fl. Jun–Aug, fr. Aug–Sep.

Dense forests, forest margins; 500–1300 m. SW Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Pacific islands].

5. Desmodium gracillimum Hemsley, Ann. Bot. 9: 182. 1895.

 细叶山蚂蝗  xi ye shan ma huang

Subshrubs, prostrate, 30–60 cm tall. Stems sparsely appressed pubescent and spreading minutely uncinate-hairy. Leaves 1-foliolate, rarely 3-foliolate near base of stem; petiole 0.5–2 cm; blade broadly triangular or broadly ovate, 2–3.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm, abaxially appressed sericeous, intermixed with sparse, minute, uncinate hairs, adaxially subspreading- and uncinate-hairy, base cordate, apex obtuse. Racemes terminal, 8–20 cm; rachis hairy, laxly flowered, often with 3-flowered fascicles. Pedicel 4–6 mm, densely uncinate-hairy. Calyx 2–2.3 mm; lobes nearly equal to tube. Corolla white-purple, 4–5 mm; standard obovate, shortly clawed; wings and keel wholly shortly clawed. Pod linear, 2–3.5 × ca. 0.2 cm; lower suture more deeply undulate, upper suture shallowly undulate, 3–5-jointed; articles narrowly elliptic, 6–7 × ca. 2 mm, with dense, spreading, minute, uncinate hairs. Fl. Sep–Nov, fr. Nov–Dec.

* Waste places; low elevations (200–300 m). S Taiwan.

6. Desmodium scorpiurus (Swartz) Desvaux, J. Bot. Agric. 1: 122. 1813.

蝎尾山蚂蝗  xie wei shan ma huang

Hedysarum scorpiurus Swartz, Prodr. 107. 1788; Desmodium akoense Hayata.

Herbs, perennial. Stems ascending or diffuse, hooked-hairy. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 1.5–3 cm, minutely hooked-hairy; terminal leaflet blade ovate or broadly elliptic to obovate, 1–4 × 0.7–2.5 cm, lateral ones slightly smaller, both surfaces adpressed hairy, lateral veins 4 or 5, base obtuse, apex obtuse-rounded or emarginate. Racemes terminal or axillary; rachis slender, minutely hooked-hairy, laxly flowered, 1- or 2-flowered at each node. Pedicel 3–7 mm, with hooked hairs, sometimes intermixed with straight hairs. Calyx campanulate, ca. 2.5 mm; upper lobes slightly 2-toothed. Corolla pink, ca. 4 mm; standard obovate; wings oblong, clawed; keel obliquely obovate, long clawed. Ovary linear, ca. 3.5 mm; style curved. Pod linear, slender, 2–5 × ca. 0.25 cm, 3–8-jointed, constricted between articles; articles 4–6 mm, 3–4 × as long as wide, hooked-hairy. Fl. and fr. Aug–Oct. 2n = 22@.

Open dry places; low and middle elevations (sea level to 500 m). Introduced and naturalized in S Taiwan [introduced in Australia, New Guinea, Pacific islands, Philippines; native of tropical America].

7. Desmodium tortuosum (Swartz) A. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 332. 1825.

南美山蚂蝗  nan mei shan ma huang

Hedysarum tortuosum Swartz, Prodr. 107. 1788; Desmodium purpureum (P. Miller) Fawcette & Rendle; H. purpureum P. Miller.

Herbs, perennial, erect, 50–200 cm tall. Stems with hooked hairs, sometimes intermixed with long hairs. Leaves 3-foliolate, rarely 1-foliolate; petiole 1–8 cm, hairy as stems; terminal leaflet blade elliptic or ovate, 3–8(–14) × 1.5–3(–6) cm, both surfaces sparsely hairy, base cuneate, apex obtuse. Racemes or sometimes panicles, terminal or axillary, rachis with dense minute hooked and glandular hairs, 2-flowered at each node. Pedicel filiform, to 1.5 cm at fruiting, hairy as rachis. Calyx 3–4 mm, 5-parted; lobes longer than tube. Corolla red, white, or yellow; standard obovate, 2.5–3.5 × ca. 2 mm, base attenuate, apex emarginate; wings oblong, base auriculate, shortly clawed; keel obliquely oblong, clawed. Pod narrowly oblong, 1.5–2 cm, both sutures constricted between articles, moniliform, densely gray-yellow hooked-hairy, (3–)5–7-jointed. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep. 2n = 22.

Waste places, plains; low elevations. Introduced and naturalized in Guangdong [naturalized in tropics of Old World; native to S U.S.A. to subtropical South America].

8. Desmodium dichotomum (Willdenow) A. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 336. 1825.

二歧山蚂蝗  er qi shan ma huang

Hedysarum dichotomum Willdenow, Sp. Pl. 3(2): 1180. 1802; Desmodium diffusum (Willdenow) A. de Candolle (Prodr. 2: 336. no. 106. Nov. 1825, nom. illegit., non no. 88 on p. 335), non D. diffusum A. de Candolle (Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 4: 100. Jan. 1825); H. diffusum Willdenow.

Subshrubs or diffuse herbs, 20–80 cm tall. Stems adpressed long straight hairy and spreading hooked-hairy. Leaves 3-foliolate, sometimes 1-foliolate near base of stem; petiole 1.5–3.5 cm, hairy; leaflet blade elliptic or ovate to broadly elliptic or broadly ovate, 1.5–7 × 1–6 cm, abaxially densely adpressed hairy, adaxially with sparse adpressed hairs, intermixed with sparse hooked hairs. Racemes terminal or axillary or usually panicles, 5–45 cm, hooked-hairy, laxly flowered, 2- or 3-flowered at each node. Pedicel 2–5 mm. Calyx 4-lobed, ca. as long as tube; upper lobes 2-toothed. Corolla purple to violet, ca. 3 mm; standard obovate or broadly obovate, base shortly clawed; wings and keel wholly shortly clawed at base. Ovary densely pubescent, 5- or 6-ovuled. Pod narrowly oblong, 1–1.8 cm × 2.5–3 mm, 5- or 6-jointed, densely hooked hairy, both sutures shallowly constricted between articles. Fl. Jun–Aug, fr. Sep–Oct. 2n = 22.

Forests, thickets. S Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar].

9. Desmodium concinnum A. de Candolle, Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 4: 101. 1825.

凹叶山蚂蝗  qo ye shan ma huang

Desmodium barbigerum H. Léveillé.

Shrubs, 80–150 cm tall. Young branches adpressed pubescent. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 0.8–1.3 cm, densely gray hairy, terminal leaflet blade elliptic or obovate, 4–9 × 1.5–3 cm, both surfaces adpressed pubescent, base cuneate, apex acute to obtuse-rounded, mucronate. Racemes terminal and axillary, 20–35 cm; rachis gray puberulent and hooked-hairy, 2–4-flowered at each node. Pedicel ca. 1 cm, hooked-hairy. Calyx 2–3.5 mm; lobes nearly equal. Corolla purple to violet; standard broadly obovate or orbicular, 5.5–7 × 5–6 mm, clawed; wings broadly obovate, 4.5–6 × ca. 3 mm, long clawed. Ovary hairy, 5- or 6-ovuled. Pod narrowly oblong, 4–6-jointed; lower suture deeply constricted near upper suture, upper suture thickened and nearly straight or slightly undulate, sparsely minute-hooked-hairy. Fl. Sep–Oct, fr. Oct.

Grasslands, mountain slopes, thickets; ca. 1300 m. Guangxi, S Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal].

10. Desmodium intortum (Miller) Urban, Symb. Antill. 8: 292. 1920.

??Chinese name

Hedysarum intortum Miller, Gard. Dict. ed. 8. Hedysarum no. 11, 1768; Desmodium nantouensis Y. C. Liu & F. Y. Lu.

Herbs, perennial, scandent, to 3 m long. Stems triangular, with white spongy pith, densely yellowish uncinate-hispid and pilose or sometimes nearly glabrous. Leaves 3-foliolate; stipules ovate, 4–12 mm, acuminate or caudate, often persistent; petiole 3–9 cm, hairy as stems; terminal leaflet blade ovate or sometimes broadly elliptic, 5–13 × 2–7 cm, papery, both surfaces appressed pilose, base rounded to truncate, apex acute. Racemes terminal or axillary, to 30 cm, rachises with dense appressed to spreading hooked hairs, 2-flowered at each node. Pedicel filiform, 6–10 mm. Calyx 2.5–3 mm, 5-parted; lowest lobe longest. Corolla purplish red to violet becoming bluish or greenish white, 9–11 mm. Pod shortly stipitate, narrowly oblong, 2–4.5 cm × 3–4 mm, densely brownish hooked-hairy, 5–10-jointed, abaxial suture deeply constricted, adaxial suture thickened, slightly sinuate; stipe ca. 2 mm; articles semicircular or rhombic, 4–5 mm. Fl. Jul–Oct, fr. Oct–Nov. 2n = 22, 24.

100–1400 m. Taiwan [introduced from Central and South America].

11. Desmodium gangeticum (Linnaeus) A. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 327. 1825.

大叶山蚂蝗  da ye shan ma huang

Hedysarum gangeticum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 746. 1753; Desmodium cavalerieri H. Léveillé.

Shrubs, erect or nearly so, to 1 m tall, much branched, pilose. Leaves 1-foliolate, variable in shape and size; petiole 1–2 cm; blade narrowly elliptic-ovate, sometimes ovate or lanceolate, 3–13 × 2–7 cm, abaxially sparsely gray villous, adaxially glabrous except for hairy midvein, base rounded, apex acute. Racemes terminal and axillary or sometimes panicles, 10–30 cm, 2–6-flowered at each node. Pedicel 2–5 mm, hairy. Calyx ca. 2 mm, 4-lobed; lobes slightly longer than tube. Corolla green-white, 3–4 mm; standard obovate; wings oblong, base auriculate, shortly clawed; keel narrowly obovate, not auriculate. Ovary hairy. Pod linear, slightly curved, 1.2–2 × ca. 0.25 cm; lower suture deeply undulate, upper suture slightly constricted between seeds, hooked-pubescent, 6–8-jointed. Fl. Apr–Aug, fr. Aug–Sep. 2n = 22.

Waste grasslands, secondary forests; 300–900 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Sichuan, SC Taiwan, S and SE Yunnan [Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Kashmir, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; tropical Africa, Australia, Pacific islands; naturalized in the West Indies].

12. Desmodium flexuosum Wallich ex Bentham var. cordifoliolatum (P. C. Li) P. H. Huang, Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin 18(1): 6. 1998.

心叶山蚂蝗  xin ye shan ma huang

Desmodium cordifoliolatum P. C. Li, Acta Bot. Yunnan. 11: 301. 1989.

Subshrubs. Branchlets sparsely villous. Leaves 1-foliolate; stipules 5–6 mm; petiole 7–8 mm, sparsely villous; blade ovate, 2–3.5 cm, abaxially villous, adaxially glabrous. Racemes 10–15 cm; rachis sparsely villous, densely hooked-pubescent, with 2–4 flowers, clustered. Pedicel ca. 2 mm. Calyx broadly campanulate, ca. 1.5 mm. Corolla purple; standard broadly obovate, 4.5–4.7 × ca. 3.5 mm, base shortly clawed; wings oblong, ca. 3 × 1.5 mm, auriculate, clawed; keel falcate-oblong, longer than wings. Pod narrowly oblong, 0.8–1.8 cm × 2–2.5 mm, 3–7-jointed; articles broadly ovoid, hooked-pubescent, reticulate veined.

* Meadows. Sichuan.

Desmodium cordifoliolatum was described from a specimen from Dechang, Sichuan. It differs from D. flexuosum in having smaller stipules, leaflets, and petioles. One of us (Ohashi) regards D. cordifoliolatum as a synonym of D. gangeticum (Linnaeus) de Candolle (J. Jap. Bot. 70(2): 113. 1995).

The typical variety occurs in Myanmar and Thailand. It is a subshrub, 30–50 cm tall, with leaves 1-foliolate; petiole 3–6 cm; blade (3–)4.5–7.5 × (2.5–)4–7.2 cm; stipules 0.9–1.2 cm.

13. Desmodium oblongum Wallich ex Bentham in Miquel, Pl. Jungh. 224. 1852.

长圆叶山蚂蝗  chang yuan ye shan ma huang

Shrubs, erect, 70–150 cm tall, much branched, sparsely hooked-hairy. Leaves 1-foliolate; petiole 1–1.4 cm, with dense, minute, hooked and straight, adpressed hairs; blade oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 7–12 × 2.5–4.5 cm, abaxially densely adpressed pubescent, veins sparsely minutely hooked hairy, adaxially glabrous except for hairy veins. Panicles terminal or axillary, 10–30 cm, laxly flowered, 2-flowered at each node. Pedicel ca. 1.2 cm, elongated to 1.7 cm at fruiting. Calyx ca. 3 mm; lobes ca. as long as tube. Corolla purple or violet, 8–10 mm; standard nearly orbicular to broadly obovate, shortly clawed; wings obliquely oblong, auriculate, shortly clawed; keel clawed. Stamens monadelphous. Ovary adpressed pubescent, 6–9-ovuled. Pod narrowly oblong, 1.5–3 × ca. 0.3 cm; lower suture crenate, upper suture deeply constricted, subglabrous, glabrescent, 5–7-jointed. Fl. and fr. Aug–Nov.

Broad-leaved forests or thickets; 1000–1900 m. Guangxi, Yunnan [Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam].

14. Desmodium velutinum (Willdenow) A. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 328. 1825.

绒毛山蚂蝗  rong mao shan ma huang

Shrubs or subshrubs, to 150 cm tall. Young branches densely yellow-brown velutinous and shortly hooked-hairy. Leaves 1-foliolate, rarely intermixed with 3-foliolate leaves; petiole 1.5–1.8 cm, densely yellow velutinous; blade ovate, ovate-lanceolate, triangular-ovate, or broadly ovate, 4–17 × 2.5–11.5 cm, both surfaces yellow velutinous, indumentum denser and longer abaxially. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, racemose or paniculate, 4–10 cm, terminal ones often broadly paniculate, to 20 cm, 2–5-flowered at each node; bracts subulate or lanceolate, 2.5–12 × 0.3–0.7 mm. Pedicel ca. 1.5 mm. Calyx 2–3 mm, 4-lobed. Corolla purple or pink, 3–5 mm; standard obovate-orbicular; wings narrowly elliptic, auriculate; keel narrow, not auriculate. Pod narrowly oblong, 1–2 cm × 2–3 mm, lower suture incised between seeds, upper suture nearly straight, with dense yellow straight hairs intermixed with short hooked hairs, 5–7-jointed. Fl. and fr. Aug–Nov. 2n = 22.

Sunny grassy slopes, streamsides, thickets, mixed forests; 100–1400 m. Guangdong, SW Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, S Taiwan, S and SW Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; tropical Africa, introduced in tropical Americas and Australia].

1a.. Bracts subulate, 2.5–3.5 × ca. 0.3 mm, sparsely hirsute; terminal inflorescences racemose or paniculate, 4–10 cm ....................................................................................................  14a. subsp. velutinum

1b.. Bracts lanceolate, 7–10 × ca. 0.7 mm, densely hirsute; terminal inflorescences paniculate, to 20 cm           14b. subsp. longibracteatum

14a. Desmodium velutinum subsp. velutinum

绒毛山蚂蝗(原变种)  romg mao shan ma huang (yuan bian zhong)

Hedysarum velutinum Willdenow, Sp. Pl. 3(2): 1174. 1802; Desmodium lasiocarpum (Beauvois) A. de Candolle; D. latifolium (Ker-Gauler) A. de Candolle; D. latifolium var. plukenetii Wight & Arnott; D. latifolium var. virgatum Miquel; D. plukenettii (Wight & Arnott) Merrill & Chun; D. velutinum var. plukenetii (Wight & Arnott) Schindler; D. virgatum Prain; H. lasiocarpum Beauvois; H. latifolium Roxburgh ex Ker-Gawler.

Shrubs or subshrubs. Leaves 1-foliolate, rarely intermixed with 3-foliolate leaves; blade ovate-lanceolate, triangular-ovate, or broadly ovate, 4–11 × 2.5–8 cm. Terminal inflorescence racemose or paniculate, 4–10 cm; bracts subulate, 2.5–3.5 × ca. 0.3 mm, sparsely hirsute. Corolla ca. 3 mm. Fl. and fr. Sep–Nov. 2n = 22.

Sunny grassy slopes, streamsides, thickets; 100–900 m. Guangdong, SW Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, S Taiwan, S Yunnan [Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; tropical Africa, introduced in tropical Americas and Australia].

14b. Desmodium velutinum subsp. longibracteatum (Schindler) H. Ohashi, Ginkgoana 1: 194. 1973.

长苞绒毛山蚂蝗  chang bao rong mao shan ma huang

Desmodium longibracteatum Schindler, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 21: 7. 1925; D. rufihirsutum Craib; D. velutinum var. longibracteatum (Schindler) van Meeuwen.

Shrubs. Leaves 1-foliolate; blade usually ovate, ca. 17 × 11.5 cm. Terminal inflorescence paniculate, to 20 cm; bracts lanceolate, 7–10 × ca. 0.7 mm, densely hirsute. Corolla ca. 5 mm. Fl. and fr. Aug–Oct.

Thickets, mixed forests; 200–1400 m. Guizhou, S and SW Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam].

These subspecies were previously recognized at the rank of variety in the FRPS 41 (1995).

15. Desmodium griffithianum Bentham in Miquel, Pl. Jungh. 2: 222. 1852.

疏果山蚂蝗  shu guo shan ma huang

Desmodium griffithianum var. leiocarpum X. F. Gao & C. Chen; D. oxalidifolium H. Léveillé.

Subshrubs or herbs, prostrate or ascending, 30–60 cm tall. Branches spreading yellow-brown or rust-colored pubescent. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 0.6–2.6 cm, densely hairy as branches; leaflet blade obtriangular-ovate or obovate, 1–2.5 × 1–1.6 cm, abaxially adpressed puberulent, adaxially subglabrous, base cuneate, apex truncate. Racemes terminal, ca. 10 cm, rachis hairy as branches. Flowers dichotomous. Pedicel 3–5 mm, hairy as branches. Calyx 3–3.5 mm; tube 1–1.3 mm; lower lobes triangular, upper lobes distinctly 2-toothed at apex. Corolla purple-red, ca. 7 mm; standard nearly orbicular, clawed; wings oblong, shortly clawed; keel smaller than wings, clawed. Ovary strigose; style glabrous. Pod deflexed, nearly oblong, 1–1.5 cm × 2.5–3.5 mm, lower suture constricted, upper suture straight, 3- or 4-jointed; articles nearly quadrate, hooked and straight rigidly hairy. Fl. and fr. Aug–Sep. 2n = 22.

Grassy slopes, roadsides, pine forests; 1500–2300 m. Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan [India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam].

16. Desmodium heterocarpon (Linnaeus) A. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 337. 1825 ["heterocarpum"].

假地豆  jia di dou

Shrubs or subshrubs, erect or prostrate, 30–150 cm tall, much branched from base of stem. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 1–2 cm, slightly pubescent; terminal leaflet blade elliptic, narrowly elliptic, or broadly obovate, 2.5–6 × 1.3–3 cm, abaxially white adpressed pubescent, adaxially glabrous, base obtuse, apex rounded or obtuse, emarginate, mucronate. Racemes terminal or axillary, 2.5–7 cm; rachis densely yellowish hooked-hairy or white adpressed strigose, densely flowered. Pedicel 3–4 mm. Calyx 1.5–2 mm, 4-lobed; upper lobes slightly 2-toothed at apex. Corolla purple, purple-red, or white, ca. 5 mm; standard obovate-oblong, shortly clawed; wings obovate, auriculate, clawed; keel extremely curved, apex obtuse. Infructescence crowded. Pod erect, narrowly oblong, 1.2–2 cm × 2.5–3 mm, upper suture shallowly undulate, both sutures hooked-hairy, 4–7-jointed; articles quadrate. Fl. Jul–Oct, fr. Oct–Dec. 2n = 22@.

Grasslands, grassy slopes, water sides, thickets, forests; 300–1800 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, S Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, Australia, Pacific islands].

We differ in our (Huang and Ohashi) circumscriptions of Desmodium heterocarpon. One of us (Ohashi) (J. Jap. Bot. 66: 14-25. 1991) recognized eight infraspecific taxa, including subsp. angustifolium H. Ohashi which corresponds to D. reticulatum Champion ex Bentham in this treatment, and subsp. heterocarpon comprising var. heterocarpon and var. strigosum.

1a.. Rachis with dense yellowish hooked hairs ..............................................  16a. var. heterocarpon

1b.. Rachis densely white adpressed strigose ......................................................  16b. var. strigosum

16a. Desmodium heterocarpon var. heterocarpon

假地豆(原变种)  jia di dou (yuan bian zhong )

Hedysarum heterocarpon Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 747. 1753; Desmodium buergeri Miquel; D. heterocarpon var. buergeri (Miquel) Hosokawa.

Rachis with white, spreading, hooked hairs. Fl. Jul–Oct, fr. Oct–Dec.

Grasslands, watersides, thickets, forests; 300–1800 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, Australia; Pacific islands].

The whole plant is used medicinally for reducing fever, and for treating contusions and strains.

16b. Desmodium heterocarpon var. strigosum van Meeuwen, Reinwardtia 6: 95. 1961.

糙毛假地豆  cao mao jia di dou

Desmodium nervosum Vogel; D. polycarpon (Poiret) de Candolle, [‘polycarpum”]; D. polycarpum f. hirsutum Pampanini; D. polycarpum var. trichocaulon Baker; D. siliquosum (Burm. f.) A. de Candolle; Hedysarum polycarpon Poiret; H. siliquosum Burm. f.

Rachis with dense yellowish or white, straight, appressed hairs. Fl. Jul–Oct, fr. Oct–Nov.

Sparse thickets, grassy slopes, streamsides; 400–900 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Taiwan, S Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, Australia, Pacific islands].

17. Desmodium strigillosum Schindler var. pendenticarpum (C. Z. Gao & Q. R. Lai) P. H. Huang, Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin 18(1): 6. 1998.

垂果山蚂蝗  chui guo shan ma huang

Desmodium pendenticarpum C. Z. Gao & Q. R. Lai, Bull. Bot. Res., Harbin 9(4): 41. 1989.

Subshrubs, prostrate or ascending, to 1 m tall. Young branchlets white adpressed villous. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole 0.7–1.8 cm, villous; leaflet blade elliptic, narrowly elliptic, or obovate-elliptic, 1.7–4 × 1.1–2 cm, abaxially densely white villous, adaxially glabrous, base broadly cuneate or orbicular, apex orbicular or obtuse. Racemes terminal, 2.5–7.5 cm; rachis villous, densely flowered. Pedicel 2.5–3 mm. Calyx ca. 2 mm. Corolla purple, ca. 6 mm; standard broadly ovate-orbicular or orbicular; wings auriculate at base; keel nearly spatulate, curved. Pod pendent, 0.9–2 cm × ca. 2 mm, adpressed gray-white villous, conferted, lower suture undulate, upper suture straight, 3–8-jointed. Fl. Aug, fr. Oct.

* Mountain slopes; ca. 100 m. S Guangxi.

One of us (Huang) treats this taxon as a variety of D. strigillosum based on the difference in indumentum of the branchlets, the pods, petioles, abaxial surface of the leaflets, as well as the difference in corolla color between both species. However, one of us (Ohashi. J. Jap. Bot. 70(2): 115. 1995) treats Desmodium pendenticarpum as a synonym of D. strigillosum.

The typical variety occurs in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam, and is introduced in Australia. It is an erect shrub or subshrub, to 60 cm tall, with branchlets, petioles, and leaflets abaxially densely appressed gray or silver silky-hairy; rachis of the inflorescence with dense appressed white or silver silky hairs, intermixed with hooked hairs; corolla blue; pod densely minutely hooked hairy and long straight white hairy.

18. Desmodium reticulatum Champion ex Bentham, Hooker's J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4: 46. 1852.

显脉山绿豆  xian mai shan liu dou

Desmodium heterocarpon (Linnaeus) de Candolle subsp. angustifolium H. Ohashi; D. polycarpum A. de Candolle var. angustifolium Craib, nom. nud.

Subshrubs, erect, 30–60 cm tall. Leaves 3- or sometimes 1-foliolate near lower stem; petiole 1.5–3 cm, sparsely hairy; terminal leaflet blade narrowly ovate or ovate-elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 3–5 × 1–2 cm, lucid, abaxially adpressed pilose, adaxially glabrous, base slightly cordate, both ends obtuse or apex acute. Racemes terminal, 10–15 cm or longer; rachis densely hooked-hairy, remotely 2-flowered at each node. Pedicel ca. 3 mm, glabrous. Calyx 4-lobed; lobes ca. as long as tube. Corolla pink or blue, ca. 6 mm; standard ovate-orbicular; wings obovate-oblong, wings and keel distinctly curved. Pod oblong, 1–2 cm × ca. 2.5 mm, subglabrous or hooked-pubescent, lower suture undulate, upper suture straight, 3–7-jointed. Fl. Jun–Aug, fr. Sep–Oct.

Thickets, grassy slopes; 200-1300 m. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, S Yunnan [Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam].

This is a species similar to Desmodium heterocarpon, but it differs from the latter by the terminal leaflets usually narrowly elliptic, narrower, thicker, lucid adaxially; inflorescences longer and laxly flowered. Ohashi considers it as a subspecies of D. heterocarpon due to fundamental similarity in having erect or ascending loments comprising quadrate articles of 2.5–3 mm long.

19. Desmodium rubrum (Loureiro) A. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 327. 1825.

赤山蚂蝗  chi shan ma huang

Orinithopus ruber Loureiro, Fl. Cochinch. 2: 452. 1790; Desmodium carlesii Schindler.

Subshrubs, prostrate or erect, 30–50 cm tall, much branched. Leaves often 1-foliolate, rarely 3-foliolate; petiole 4–10 mm, densely adpressed pubescent; blade elliptic, sometimes narrowly elliptic to nearly orbicular, 1–2.2 cm × 7–12 mm, abaxially sparsely adpressed pubescent, adaxially glabrous, base narrowly cordate, both ends obtuse or apex slightly emarginate. Racemes terminal, 5–25 cm; rachis yellow hooked-hairy. Flowers extremely lax. Pedicel 2–3 mm, elongated to 7 mm at fruiting. Calyx often red; lobes nearly equal. Corolla blue or pink, 5–6 mm; standard obcordate, ca. as long as keel; wings obliquely ovate, shorter, auriculate, wholly clawed. Pod narrowly oblong, ca. 2 cm, slightly curved, glabrous, lower suture constricted, upper suture straight, 2–7-jointed; articles nearly quadrate, distinctly reticulately veined. Fl. and fr. Apr–Jun.

Waste places, sandy sites at seasides; sea level. Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan [Vietnam].

Because of its long taproot system, this plant is used for protecting river banks.

20. Desmodium styracifolium (Osbeck) Merrill, Amer. J. Bot. 3: 580. 1916 [1917].

广东金钱草  guang dong jin qian cao

Hedysarum styracifolium Osbeck, Dagb. Ostind. Resa 247. 1757; Desmodium capitatum (N. L. Burman) A. de Candolle; D. retroflexum (Linnaeus) A. de Candolle; D. rotundifolium Wallich (1831–1832), nom. nud., non de Candolle (1825); H. capitatum N. L. Burman; H. retroflexum Linnaeus; Nicolsonia styracifolia Desvaux; Pseudarthria capitata Hasskarl; Uraria retroflexa Drake.

Herbs, subshrublike, erect, 30–100 cm tall, much branched. Young branches with dense, white or yellowish hairs. Leaves often 1-, sometimes 3-foliolate; petiole 1–2 cm, densely sericeous; blade orbicular or nearly so to broadly obovate, 2–4.5 × 2–4.5 cm, abaxially densely adpressed white sericeous, adaxially glabrous, lateral veins 8–10, base rounded or cordate, apex rounded or emarginate. Racemes short, 1–3 cm; rachis densely sericeous, densely flowered, 2-flowered at each node. Pedicel 2–3 mm, drooping at fruiting. Calyx 4-lobed; lobes nearly equal. Corolla purple-red, ca. 4 mm; standard obovate or nearly orbicular, clawed; wings obovate, shortly clawed; keel longer than wings, extremely curved, long clawed. Ovary linear, hairy. Pod 1–2 cm × ca. 2.5 mm, pubescent and minutely hooked-hairy, lower suture undulate, upper suture straight, 3–6-jointed, reticulate veined. Fl. and fr. Jun–Sep.

Mountain slopes, grasslands, thickets; below 1000 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hubei, S Yunnan [Cambodia, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam].

The whole plant is used medicinally for curing nephritis-dropsy, urethra-inflammation, jaundice-hematosis, and irritation from nettles.

21. Desmodium renifolium (Linnaeus) Schindler, Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 22: 262. 1926.

肾叶山蚂蝗  shen ye shan ma huang

Hedysarum renifolium Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. (ed. 10), 2: 1169. 1759; Desmodium reniforme (Linnaeus) A. de Candolle; H. reniforme Linnaeus, nom. illegit.

Subshrubs, 30–50 cm tall, much branched, often glabrous. Leaves 1-foliolate; petiole 1–2 cm; blade reniform or compressed-rhombic, often broader than long, 1.5–3.5 × 2.5–5 cm, lateral veins 3 or 4, both ends truncate or base broadly cuneate or apex emarginate. Panicles terminal or racemes axillary, 5–15 cm, laxly flowered, 2–5-flowered at each node. Pedicel 2–8 mm, elongated to 1.3 cm at fruiting. Calyx 4-lobed; lobes triangular, ca. as long as tube. Corolla white to pale yellow or purple, ca. 5 mm; standard obovate, base broadly shortly clawed, apex slightly emarginate; wings narrowly oblong, long clawed; keel narrowly elliptic, long clawed. Stamens monadelphous, 3.2–4.2 mm. Ovary adpressed puberulent. Pod narrowly oblong, 2–3 × 0.25–0.4 cm, puberulent, becoming glabrescent, lower suture deeply or slightly constricted, upper suture straight or slightly constricted, 2–5-jointed. Fl. and fr. Sep–Nov.

Sunny grasslands, thickets, forest margins, broad-leaved forests; 100–1000 m. Hainan, Taiwan, S Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam; Australia].

22. Desmodium microphyllum (Thunberg) A. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 337. 1825.

小叶三点金  xiao ye san dian jin

Hedysarum microphyllum Thunberg in Murray, Syst. Veg., ed. 14, 675. 1784; Codariocalyx microphyllus (Thunberg) H. Ohashi; Desmodium microphyllum var. longipilum Ohwi; D. parvifolium A. de Candolle; D. parvifolium f. yunnanense Pampanini.

Herbs, erect or prostrate, perennial, nearly glabrous. Leaves 3- or sometimes 1-foliolate; petiole 2–3 mm, when 1-foliolate 3–10 mm; leaflet blade narrowly obovate-elliptic or narrowly elliptic and 1–1.2 cm × 4–6 mm, or obovate to elliptic and 2–6 × 1.5–4 mm, both ends rounded. Racemes terminal or axillary, yellow-brown spreading pubescent, 6–10-flowered. Pedicel 5–8 mm. Calyx 5-parted; lobes linear-lanceolate, 3–4 × as long as tube. Corolla pink, nearly as long as calyx; standard obovate or obovate-orbicular, below middle attenuate, shortly clawed; wings obovate, auriculate and clawed; keel narrowly elliptic, longer than wings. Stamens diadelphous. Ovary pubescent. Pod ca. 12 × 3 mm, both surfaces shallowly dentiform, often 3- or 4-jointed, sometimes 2 or 5; articles nearly orbicular, flat, minutely uncinate-hairy and ciliate or glabrescent, reticulate veined. Fl. May–Sep, fr. Sep–Nov. 2n = 22.

Waste places, grasslands, thickets; 100–2500 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, S Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Cambodia, India, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Australia].

The roots are used medicinally for reducing fever, relieving coughs, and dispelling phlegm.

Ohashi (J. Jap. Bot. 79: 126. 2004) considers this species as a member of Codariocalyx, C. microphyllus (Thunberg) H. Ohashi. This transfer is supported by molecular analysis, but here, we follow the treatment in the treatment in the FRPS for convenience.

23. Desmodium heterophyllum (Willdenow) A. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 334. 1825.

异叶山蚂蝗  yi ye shan ma huang

Hedysarum heterophyllum Willdenow, Sp. Pl. 3(2): 1201. 1802.

Herbs, prostrate or ascending, 10–70 cm tall. Young parts spreading pubescent. Leaves 3-foliolate, often intermixed with 1-foliolate leaves on lower part; petiole 0.5–1.5 cm; terminal leaflet blade broadly elliptic or broadly elliptic-obovate, 1–3 × 0.8–1.5 cm, base obtuse, apex rounded or nearly truncate, often emarginate. Flowers solitary or binate in leaf axils or 2- or 3-flowered on rachis. Pedicel 1–2.5 cm. Calyx 5-parted; upper 2 lobes deeply incised near base, villous and minutely hooked-hairy. Corolla purple-red to white, ca. 5 mm; standard broadly obovate; wings obovate or narrowly elliptic, shortly auriculate; keel slightly curved, shortly clawed. Stamens diadelphous. Ovary adpressed pubescent. Pod narrowly oblong, straight or curved, 1.2–1.8 cm × ca. 3 mm, lower suture deeply undulate, upper suture straight, 3–5-jointed, flat; articles broadly oblong or quadrate, 3.5–4 mm, glabrescent, reticulate veined. Fl. and fr. Jul–Oct. 2n = 22.

Riversides, roadsides, field margins, grasslands; 200–500 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Yunnan [India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Australia, Pacific islands].

24. Desmodium triflorum (Linnaeus) A. de Candolle, Prodr. 2: 334. 1825, excl. syn. cit.

三点金  san dian jin

Hedysarum triflorum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 2: 749. 1753; Desmodium triflorum var. adpressum Ohwi.

Herbs, perennial, prostrate, 10–50 cm tall, spreading pubescent. Leaves 3-foliolate; petiole ca. 5 mm; terminal leaflet blade obcordate, obtriangular, or obovate, 2.5–10 × 2.5–10 mm, base cuneate, apex truncate, slightly emarginate. Flower solitary or 2- or 3-flowered in leaf axils. Pedicel 3–8 mm, elongated to 1.3 cm at fruiting. Calyx densely villous, 5-parted; lobes narrowly lanceolate, longer than tube. Corolla purple-red, nearly as long as calyx; standard obcordate, base attenuate, long clawed; wings elliptic, shortly clawed; keel slightly falcate, longer than wings, curved, long clawed. Stamens diadelphous. Pod narrowly oblong, slightly falcate, flat, 5–12 × ca. 2.5 mm, lower suture undulate, upper suture straight, 3–5-jointed; articles nearly quadrate, with shor