What’s a dichotomous key?
Help
Desmodium
See list of 11 species in this genusReference: Raveill (2006).
-
1a. Stems prostrate; inflorescences primarily axillary; terminal leaflet mostly 0.8–1.2 times as long as wide [Fig. 638]
-
1b. Stems erect or ascending; inflorescences terminal or both terminal and axillary; terminal leaflet 1–10 times as long as wide
-
2a. Terminal leaflets (3–) 4–10 times as long as wide, mostly 5–15 mm wide, narrow-lanceolate to oblong or narrow-elliptic [Fig. 637]
-
3a. Schizocarp with 3–6 segments that are ± triangular and abruptly curved on the lower margin [Fig. 637]; petioles mostly 15–50 mm long; leaflets herbaceous, inconspicuously veined
-
3b. Schizocarp with 1–3 segments that are ± semicircular and gradually rounded on the lower margin; petioles mostly 1–3 (–4) mm long; leaflets subcoriaceous, conspicuously reticulate-veined
-
-
2b. Terminal leaflets 1.5–4 (–5) times as long as wide, mostly 15–30 mm wide, oblong to broad-ovate
-
4a. Leaf blades pubescent abaxially with uncinate hairs
-
4b. Leaf blades abaxially glabrous or pubescent with hairs that are not hooked near the tip
-
5a. Stipules 8–20 mm long, lanceolate to ovate, persistent; terminal leaflet acuminate at the apex; schizocarp segments (8–) 9–11 mm long
-
5b. Stipules 2–6 mm long, linear to broad-lanceolate, generally caducous; terminal leaflet obtuse to acute at the apex; schizocarp segments 3.5–8.5 mm long
-
6a. Schizocarp segments ± triangular, abruptly curved on the lower margin [Fig. 637]
-
7a. Stem pubescent with pilose hairs (a few uncinate hairs may also be present); petiole pubescent with pilose hairs
-
7b. Stem pubescent with uncinate hairs (pilose hairs sometimes present at the nodes) [Fig. 636]; petiole glabrous or pubescent with uncinate hairs
-
-
6b. Schizocarp segments ± semicircular, gradually rounded on the lower margin [Fig. 635]
-
8a. Corolla 8–11 mm long; calyx 3.5–5 mm long; stipe of fruit 2–4 mm long; schizocarp with 3–5 segments, each segment (4–) 5–7 mm long
-
8b. Corolla 4–5 mm long; calyx 1.5–3 mm long; stipe of fruit 1–3 mm long; schizocarp with (1–) 2 or 3 segments, each segment 3.5–5 mm long
-
9a. Petioles 12–25 (–27) mm long, those of the medial leaves approximately as long as the associated lateral leaflets; stems usually glabrous; leaf blades glabrous or sparsely pubescent
-
9b. Petioles 2–18 (–20) mm long, those of the medial leaves much shorter than the associated lateral leaflets; stems pubescent with pilose or uncinate hairs or both; leaf blades usually pubescent on one or both surfaces
-
10a. Terminal leaflet (2.5–) 4–6 (–7.5) cm long, 2.5–4 times as long as wide, distinctly longer than the lateral leaflets; stem uncinate-pubescent
-
10b. Terminal leaflet 1.5–3 cm long, 1.5–2.3 (–5) times as long as wide, scarcely, if at all, longer than the lateral leaflets; stem pilose-pubescent
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Show photos of:
Each photo represents one species in this genus.