Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC

Common Name : Sal leaved desmodium
Family : Fabaceae

HABIT

A COMMON UNDERSHRUB, USUALLY 0.6-1.2 M TALL.

STEMS

SIMPLE, STRAIGHT, IRREGULARLY ANGLED; BRANCHES DENSELY HAIRY.

LEAVES

UNIFOLIATE; LEAFLETS MEMBRANOUS, BROADLY ELLIPTIC TO OVATE OR SOMETIMES LANCEOLATE, 9-12.5 CM LONG AND 3.5-6.3 CM WIDE, BASE ROUNDED OR ACUTE, APEX ACUTE OR ACUMINATE, MARGINS SOMEWHAT WAVY, USUALLY GLABRESCENT ON UPPER SURFACE, PALE GREEN AND CLOTHED WITH SOFT WHITISH APPRESSED HAIRS BENEATH.

FLOWERS

FLOWERS VIOLET OR WHITE, BORNE IN FASCICLES OF 2-5 FLOWERS IN LAX, 40-60 FLOEWERED, TERMINAL AND AXILLARY RACEMES, 15-30 CM LONG.

FRUITS

POD LINEAR TO SLIGHTLY CURVED, 1.2-2 CM LONG AND 2 MM WIDE; JOINTS 4-8, RETICULATE, LONGER THAN BROAD, INDEHISCENT, SPARSELY CLOTHED WITH MINUTE HOOKED HAIRS.