Desmodium tortuosum (Sw.) DC.
Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (9)
Photo: Bart Wursten
Haslemere Lane, Umwinsidale
Photo: Bart Wursten
Haslemere Lane, Umwinsidale
Photo: Bart Wursten
Haslemere Lane, Umwinsidale
Photo: Bart Wursten
Crocodile Farm, Kariba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Crocodile Farm, Kariba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Crocodile Farm, Kariba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Crocodile Farm, Kariba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Crocodile Farm, Kariba
Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
Synonyms:
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Hedysarum tortuosum Sw. Meibomia tortuosa (Sw.) Kuntze
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Common names:
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Florida beggar weed (English)
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Frequency:
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Status:
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Introduced |
Description:
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Erect perennial herb or subshrub, up to 1.5 m. A native of tropical America, it is widespread in the tropical world, where it is cultivated as a nitrogen-enricher. Leaves 3-foliolate with small hairs on both surfaces and longer hairs on the veins below. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, up to 30 cm long. Flowers blue-mauve or pink, occasionally blue-green. Pods up to 3.2 cm, glandular hairy, often twisted at the constrictions between the articles. |
Notes:
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Derivation of specific name:
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tortuosum: much twisted, referring to the pods |
Habitat:
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Altitude range: |
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Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution:
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Native of tropical America but widely cultivated as a nitrogen-enricher and hence naturalised. |
Malawi distribution:
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S |
Growth form(s):
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Endemic status:
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Red data list status:
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Insects associated with this species:
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Spot characters:
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Display spot characters for this species |
Literature:
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Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 219.
Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 47.
Verdcourt, B. (2000). Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(6) Pages 11 - 12.
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Other sources of information about Desmodium tortuosum:
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Desmodium tortuosumExternal websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg):
Desmodium tortuosumAfrican Plant Database:
Desmodium tortuosumBHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library):
Desmodium tortuosumEOL (Encyclopedia of Life):
Desmodium tortuosumePIC (electronic Plant Information Center):
Desmodium tortuosumFlora Zambesiaca web site:
Desmodium tortuosumGBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility):
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ScholarGRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network):
Desmodium tortuosumiNaturalist:
Desmodium tortuosumIPNI (International Plant Names Index):
Desmodium tortuosumJSTOR Plant Science:
Desmodium tortuosumKew Herbarium catalogue:
Desmodium tortuosumMansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops:
Desmodium tortuosumPlants of the World Online:
Desmodium tortuosumTropicos:
Desmodium tortuosumWikipedia:
Desmodium tortuosum
Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-23
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M.
(2023).
Flora of Malawi: Species information: Desmodium tortuosum. https://www.malawiflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=130890, retrieved 31 March 2023
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