OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Fabales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Lespedeza cuneata   FAMILY Fabaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lespedeza cuneata   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Native & naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the US (Isely, 1998)

Lespedeza cuneata

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 098-27-011:

Lespedeza cuneata   FAMILY Fabaceae

 

COMMON NAME:
Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    jkm120406_613

April    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    jkm060607_001

June    Greenville County    SC

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    s050604_c

June    Greenville County    SC

Leaves often gray-green. Lower petioles 1-2.5cm, upper leaves sessile, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    jkm060731_005

July    Greenville County    SC

Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

Frank Breazeale    fwb_img_8614ed1

August    Anderson County    SC

Flowers white w purple markings, solitary or 2 or 3 in upper axils, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    jkm100809_402

August    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    jkm140809_492

August    Greenville County    SC

Lake Conestee Nature Park

Flowers shorter than the subtending leaves, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    jkm180813_3740

August    Greenville County    SC

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    s050830_a

August    Greenville County    SC

Roadside

Stem often gray-green with lines of hairs, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

Stephanie C. Brundage    scb_090719DeepGap147ed

September    Clay County    NC

Nantahala National Forest

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

Stephanie C. Brundage    scb_090719DeepGap160ed

September    Clay County    NC

Nantahala National Forest

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    jkm141009_091

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

Leaves densely appressed short-pubescent, appearing grayish-green or silvery, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    jkm141020_163

October    Greenville County    SC

Leaflet base narrowly cuneate, the tip rounded, truncate or even retuse, per Weakley's Flora (2012).


click here to see other plants that look similar to this COMPARE leaves that are trifoliolate and pinnately compound

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    jkm101120_286

November    Greenville County    SC

image of Lespedeza cuneata, Sericea Lespedeza, Chinese Lespedeza, Sericea

JK Marlow    jkm101120_286b

November    Greenville County    SC

Flat single-seeded legume pod, 3-4mm wide, clasped by persistent sepals, per Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests (Miller, 2003).

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Lespedeza cuneata   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lespedeza cuneata   FAMILY Fabaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Native & naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the US (Isely, 1998)
Lespedeza cuneata

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 098-27-011:
Lespedeza cuneata   FAMILY Fabaceae

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

807

Forb
Perennial

Habitat: Roadbanks, ‘wildlife food plots’, disturbed areas, floodplains, creekbanks, and invading other natural habitats, per Weakley's Flora

Non-native: east Asia

Common

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.


INVASIVE

This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:

 

LEAVES:
Odd-pinnately compound: 3 leaflets
Alternate
Stipules are persistent.

FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Creamy-white
Bilaterally symmetrical
5-lobed calyx
5-parted papilionaceous corolla
10 stamens, diadelphous, 9 and 1
Superior ovary

FRUIT:
Fall
Legume

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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