Desmodium intortum (Mill.) Urb.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro. 2005. Vines and climbing plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. 51: 1-483.
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Family
Fabaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Description - Decumbent or ascendent herb, branched from the base, attaining 3 m in length. Stems trigonal, densely covered with uncinate hairs. Leaves alternate, trifoliolate; leaflets 4-7 x 2-5 cm, ovate, broadly ovate, or elliptical, chartaceous, the apex obtuse or acute, the base rounded, the margins entire; upper surface dark green, strigulose; lower surface pale green, more or less strigose, with prominent venation; petiolules 2.5-3 mm long, densely pilose; petioles 2-3.5 cm long, pilose, striate; rachis ca. 5 mm long, pilose; stipules ovate, acuminate, ca. 7 mm long, deciduous; stipels minute, subulate. Inflorescences of terminal or axillary seudoracemes, uncinate-pubescent. Calyx green, campanulate, puberulent. the tubular portion ca. 3 mm long, the inner sepal ca. 3.5 mm long, lanceolate, the rest ca. 1.5 mm long, deltate; corolla pink-violet, the standard ca. 9 mm long, retuse at the apex, unguiculate at the base, the wings and the keel as long as the standard. Legume uncinate-pubescent, ca. 2.5 cm long, crenate on both margins, with 6-11 fertile segments.
Phenology - Collected in flower and fruit during January and February.
Conservation Status - Native, relatively common.