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Leguminosae
Synonyms
D. purpureum Fawe and Rendle; Hedysarum tortuosum Sw.; D. spirale
(Sw.) DC.
Common names
Florida beggarweed (United States).
Description
Erect, short-lived annual or perennial herb, 0.6 to 3 m tall,
somewhat woody at base, cylindrical, smooth in lower parts of stem and
clothed with short, fine hairs in upper part. Leaves trifoliate, leaflets
lanceolate or elliptic, sparsely covered with short hairs, the central
leaflet larger and on a stalk four times longer than those of the laterals.
Flowers purple or pale blue, about 4 mm long, borne on slender stalk about
1.25 cm long. Seed pod is indented about equally on both sutures. It is
chainlike, with 3 to 7 joints, and covered with short hairs (Hosaka and
Ripperton, 1944). Somatic chromosome number 2n = 22.
Distribution
Native to the West Indies; widespread in Florida, Central and
South America and also in tropical Africa. Occurs in Hawaii below 900 m
elevation.
Characteristics
Cultivated in Florida for forage. Generally used for green
chop or hay in the tropics. Very palatable; a good plant for grazing or
hay. Vigorous, recovers rapidly from cutting or grazing and persists well
under favourable conditions up to four years. Adapted to a wide range of
soils and often volunteers on stubble. Because it is so palatable it tends
to disappear under grazing.
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