Fabaceae FAMILY

Desmodium tortuosum

Edibility

0/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Beggarweed is of variable habit, growing as an erect, often much-branched, annual or perennial herb or as a shrub; it can grow from 50 - 200cm tall[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. The plant is cultivated, or being trialled, as a green manure or cover crop in several countries of America, Africa and Australia[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ]. Its importance seems to be waning[ 317 Title Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants Publication Author Website http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336 Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Terse details of a huge range of useful plants. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeS. America - Argentina, north through Brazil, Peru, to Central America to Mexico, southern USA.

HabitatMoist or dry thickets, often in rocky places, frequently along rocky or sandy stream beds; at elevations up to 1,200 metres[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. Naturalized in disturbed areas, cultivated fields and grassland, on sandy or calcareous soils in coastal areas[ 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ].