Lespedeza virginica (Linnaeus) Britton. Subgenus: Lespedeza. Section: Lespedeza. clade: E. Common name: Virginia Lespedeza, Slender Bush-clover. Phenology: Jul-Sep; Aug-Nov. Habitat: Longleaf pine sandhills, woodlands, and woodland borders. Distribution: MA and NH west to MI, WI, IA, and KS, south to Panhandle FL and c. TX.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Can, F, Fl3, FNA11.1, G, GrPl, Il, K4, Mi, Mo3, NcTx, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S, S13, SE3, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV, Clewell (1966a), Clewell (1966b), Isely (1998); Medicago virginica Linnaeus. Basionym: Medicago virginica L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Lespedeza virginica - FNA11.1
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Heliophily ⓘ: 8
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© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce Sorrie | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial of sandhills, woodlands and woodland borders.
Stems: Stems 1-a few, slender, with erect branches and smooth to hairy.
Leaves: Leaves alternate and crowded; short-petiolate; divided into 3 narrowly elliptic or linear leaflets, each to 1 in. long and bearing a tiny point at the tip, typically covered in short, close-pressed hairs.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in racemes of 4-10 on tiny stalks from upper leaf axils, rose pink to purplish, about 1/4 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and with typical pea-flower shape, including an erect banner-petal with darker pink streaking. There are also inconspicuous closed flowers lower on the stem.
Fruits: Fruit a flattened, round to elliptic pod containing a single seed.
Comments:
Height: 1-2 1/2 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial of sandhills, woodlands and woodland borders.
stems: Stems 1-a few, slender, with erect branches and smooth to hairy.
leaves: Leaves alternate and crowded; short-petiolate; divided into 3 narrowly elliptic or linear leaflets, each to 1 in. long and bearing a tiny point at the tip, typically covered in short, close-pressed hairs.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in racemes of 4-10 on tiny stalks from upper leaf axils, rose pink to purplish, about 1/4 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and with typical pea-flower shape, including an erect banner-petal with darker pink streaking. There are also inconspicuous closed flowers lower on the stem.
fruits: Fruit a flattened, round to elliptic pod containing a single seed.
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