8. Lespedeza Stúvei Nutt. Stuve's Bush-Clover

Fig. 2604

Lespedeza Stuvei Nutt. Gen. 2: 107. 1818.

Erect or ascending, simple and wand-like or sometimes slightly branched, densely velvety or downy pubescent all over, 2°-4° high. Stipules subulate, 2"-3" long; petioles commonly much shorter than the leaves; leaflets oval, oblong or suborbicular, obtuse or retuse at the apex, narrowed or rounded at the base, 6"-10" or rarely 15" long; flowers of both kinds in nearly sessile axillary clusters; corolla violet-purple, 2"-3" long; pod ovate-oblong to orbicular, acute, or oblong, 2"-3" long, downy-pubescent, much longer than the calyx.

Dry soil, Vermont and Massachusetts to Virginia, Alabama, Michigan, Arkansas and Texas. Aug.-Sept.

Lespedeza neglécta (Britton) Mackenzie and Bush, with linear or linear-oblong pubescent leaves, may be a hybrid of this species with L. virginica.

9. Lespedeza F Rutéscens (L.) Brit-Ton. Wand-Like Bush-Clover

Fig. 260s

Hedysarum frutescens L. Sp. Pl. 748. 1753.

Lespedeza reticulata S. Wats. Bibliog. Index 1: 233. 1878. Not Pers. 1807.

Lespedeza Stuvei var. intermedia S. Wats. in A. Gray, Man. Ed. 6, 147. 1890.

Lespedeza frutescens Britton, Mem. Torr. Club 5: 205. 1894.

Erect, simple or branched, finely ap-pressed-pubescent or glabrate, 1°-3° high. Stipules subulate, 2"-3" long; petioles equalling or shorter than the leaves; leaflets oval, oblong or elliptic, obtuse, truncate or retuse at the apex, narrowed or rounded at the base, 6"-18" long, glabrous and dark green above, paler and pubescent beneath; flowers of both kinds in short-stalked or nearly sessile axillary clusters, generally crowded toward the summit of the stem; corolla violet-purple, 2"-3" long; pod ovate-oblong, acute, pubescent, about 2" long, much longer than the calyx.

Dry soil, Maine to Ontario, Minnesota, Florida. Illinois and Texas. Aug.-Sept.

10. Lespedeza Virginica (L.) Britton. Slender Bush-Clover

Fig. 2606

Medicago virginica L. Sp. Pl. 778. 1753.

L. sessiliflora Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 70. 1803.

Lespedeza violacea var. angustifolia T. & G. Fl. N.

A. 1: 367. 1840. Lespedeza virginica Britton, Trans. N. Y. Acad. Sci.

12: 64. 1893.

Erect, slender, simple and wand-like or branched, resembling the preceding species. Leaflets linear or oblong-linear, 6"-18" long, 1"-2 1/2" wide, truncate, obtuse or sometimes acute at the apex, finely pubescent beneath, or glabrate on both surfaces; clusters of both kinds of flowers sessile, or nearly so, crowded in the upper axils; flowers violet-purple, 2" - 3" long; pod ovate, or oval-orbicular, acute, or obtuse, 2" long; pubescent, or nearly glabrous, much longer than the calyx.

Dry soil. New Hampshire to Ontario. Minnesota, Arkansas, Florida and Texas. Aug.-Sept.