Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Rosids: Fabids: Fabales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Lespedeza thunbergii
FAMILY
Fabaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
You may find it helpful to read Lespedeza Species in the Carolinas by Bill Stringer.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Learn more about Lespedeza from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lespedeza thunbergii
FAMILY
Fabaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Native & naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the US (Isely, 1998)
Lespedeza thunbergii
COMMON NAME:
Thunberg's Lespedeza, Thunberg's Bush-clover
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_5421996
June
Leaflets 2-3x long as wide (vs. 1.5-2x in L. bicolor), per Weakley's Flora (2012).
COMPARE
leaves that are trifoliolate and pinnately compound
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_5421997
June
Stems purplish when young, many per crown (vs. 1-several in L. bicolor), per Weakley's Flora (2012).
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_5421998
June
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Lespedeza thunbergii
FAMILY
Fabaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lespedeza thunbergii
FAMILY
Fabaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Native & naturalized Leguminosae (Fabaceae) of the US (Isely, 1998)
Lespedeza thunbergii
2940
Subshrub
Perennial
Habitat: ‘Wildlife food plots’, roadbanks, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: east Asia
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant may be causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- US Forest Service Southern Research Station
LEAVES:
Deciduous
Odd-pinnately compound: 3 leaflets
Mostly alternate
Stipules are persistent.
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Purplish/ Light violet ?
Bilaterally symmetrical
5-lobed calyx
5-parted papilionaceous corolla
10 stamens, diadelphous, 9 and 1
Superior ovary
FRUIT:
Legume
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010) p052
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p188
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".