Lespedeza

  • Authority

    Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

  • Family

    Fabaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Lespedeza

  • Description

    Genus Description - Cal-tube short, the narrow lobes subequal, or the 2 upper partly connate; standard suborbicular to oblong-ovate, short-clawed; wings oblong, straight, clawed and auriculate, connivent with the keel; keel-pet straight, blunt, obliquely obovate; stamens 10, equal, diadelphous; fr oval to elliptic, indehiscent, 1-seeded; herbs or shrubs with numerous small trifoliolate lvs and spicate, racemose or solitary, purple to ochroleucous fls in sessile or peduncled axillary infls, each fl subtended at base by 2 or 4 small bractlets; stipellules wanting; many spp. have both petaliferous and apetalous fls with similar or different frs. 25, widespread.

  • Discussion

    The following names are believed to be based on hybrids:

    L. ×acuticarpa Mack. & Bush = L. violacea × virginica

    L. ×brittonii E. P. Bicknell = L. procumbens × virginica

    L. ×hirta var. appressipilis S. F. Blake = L. angustifolia × hirta

    L. ×longifolia DC. = L. capitata × hirta

    L. ×manniana Mack. & Bush = L. capitata × violacea

    L. ×neglecta Mack. & Bush = L. stuevei × virginica

    L. ×nuttallii Darl. = L. hirta × intermedia

    L. ×oblongifolia (Britton) W. Stone = L. angustifolia × hirta

    L. ×simulata Mack. & Bush = L. capitata × virginica

  • Common Names

    lespedeza