Lespedeza capitata is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae, or legume family, and is known by the common name roundhead bushclover, or roundhead lespedeza.[2] It is native to eastern North America, including eastern Canada and the eastern half of the United States.[3]
This plant is a perennial herb with erect stems growing up to 1.5 meters tall. The taproot may grow over two meters deep into the soil, with lateral roots reaching out one meter horizontally. The alternately arranged leaves are each made up of several leaflets. The plant is coated in silvery hairs. Flowers are borne in somewhat rounded clusters atop each stem. The flower is white with a purple spot.[4]
This plant is used as a component of seed mixes for vegetating rangeland. It is a good addition to livestock forage, as it is palatable and nutritious.[4] The plant can also be used in flower arrangements.[4]
This plant had a number of medicinal uses for Native American groups. It was used as a moxa to treat rheumatism. The Comanche used the leaves for tea.[5] The Meskwaki used the roots to make an antidote for poison.[6] The Pawnee people referred to the plant as rabbit foot (parus-asu) on account of the shape of its fruits and made a tea from the dry stems and leaves when coffee was not available.[7] Among the Omaha and Ponca peoples, it was known as the male buffalo bellow plant.[8]
This plant may suffer from the rust pathogen Uromyces lespedezae-procaumbentis and the tar spot fungus Phyllachora lespedezae, as well as herbivory by the insect Pachyschelus laevigatus.[9]
Ecologyedit
In the wild this plant grows in wooded areas, on prairies, and in disturbed habitat such as roadsides. It is tolerant of drought.[10] It fixes nitrogen.[4]
^ abThe Xerces Society (2016), Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects, Timber Press.
Media related to Lespedeza capitata at Wikimedia Commons
December 20, 2023
lespedeza, capitata, species, flowering, plant, fabaceae, legume, family, known, common, name, roundhead, bushclover, roundhead, lespedeza, native, eastern, north, america, including, eastern, canada, eastern, half, united, states, conservation, statussecure, . Lespedeza capitata is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae or legume family and is known by the common name roundhead bushclover or roundhead lespedeza 2 It is native to eastern North America including eastern Canada and the eastern half of the United States 3 Lespedeza capitataConservation statusSecure NatureServe Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade RosidsOrder FabalesFamily FabaceaeSubfamily FaboideaeGenus LespedezaSpecies L capitataBinomial nameLespedeza capitataMichx 1803 Synonyms 1 Synonymy Aeschynomene frutescens Poir 1798 Despeleza capitata Michx Nieuwl 1914 Hedysarum conglomeratum Poir 1805 Hedysarum frutescens Willd 1803 nom illeg Hedysarum umbellatum Walter 1788 sensu auct Lespedeza bicknellii House 1905 Lespedeza capitata f argentea Fernald 1941 Lespedeza capitata var hirtiformis Fernald 1938 Lespedeza capitata var sericea Hook 1835 Lespedeza capitata var stenophylla Bissell amp Fernald 1912 Lespedeza capitata var typica Fernald 1941 not validly publ Lespedeza capitata var velutina Fernald 1908 Lespedeza capitata var vulgaris Torr amp A Gray 1840 Lespedeza fruticosa Pers 1807 Lespedeza schindleri H Lev 1916 Lespedeza velutina E P Bicknell 1901 nom illeg This plant is a perennial herb with erect stems growing up to 1 5 meters tall The taproot may grow over two meters deep into the soil with lateral roots reaching out one meter horizontally The alternately arranged leaves are each made up of several leaflets The plant is coated in silvery hairs Flowers are borne in somewhat rounded clusters atop each stem The flower is white with a purple spot 4 This plant is used as a component of seed mixes for vegetating rangeland It is a good addition to livestock forage as it is palatable and nutritious 4 The plant can also be used in flower arrangements 4 This plant had a number of medicinal uses for Native American groups It was used as a moxa to treat rheumatism The Comanche used the leaves for tea 5 The Meskwaki used the roots to make an antidote for poison 6 The Pawnee people referred to the plant as rabbit foot parus asu on account of the shape of its fruits and made a tea from the dry stems and leaves when coffee was not available 7 Among the Omaha and Ponca peoples it was known as the male buffalo bellow plant 8 The cultivar Kanoka was released by the USDA in 1998 9 This plant may suffer from the rust pathogen Uromyces lespedezae procaumbentis and the tar spot fungus Phyllachora lespedezae as well as herbivory by the insect Pachyschelus laevigatus 9 Ecology editIn the wild this plant grows in wooded areas on prairies and in disturbed habitat such as roadsides It is tolerant of drought 10 It fixes nitrogen 4 It hosts numerous lepidoptera species such as the eastern tailed blue gray hairstreak hoary edge northern cloudywing orange sulphur silver spotted skipper southern cloudywing and spring azure 11 Its seeds are popular with several bird species 11 in particular the northern bobwhite 5 References edit Lespedeza capitata Michx Plants of the World Online Retrieved 4 September 2023 Lespedeza capitata USDA Plants Profile Lespedeza capitata Germplasm Resources Information Network Agricultural Research Service United States Department of Agriculture Retrieved 19 January 2018 a b c d Lespedeza capitata USDA NRCS Plant Fact Sheet a b Lespedeza capitata Lespedeza capitata University of Michigan Ethnobotany Weltfish Gene 1965 The lost universe Pawnee life and culture Lincoln University of Nebraska Press p 240 ISBN 0803209347 Lespedeza capitata permanent dead link Kansas State Extension a b Lespedeza capitata Kanoka USDA NRCS Manhattan Plant Materials Center Lespedeza capitata Missouri Botanical Garden a b The Xerces Society 2016 Gardening for Butterflies How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful Beneficial Insects Timber Press nbsp Media related to Lespedeza capitata at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lespedeza capitata amp oldid 1185560881, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
