Threeflower Beggarweed/Ticktrefoil, Creeping Ticktrefoil

Desmodium triflorum

des-MOH-dee-um  try-FLOR-um

Fabaceae

Native to:  Old World Tropics

Florida abundance and distribution: Introduced to Florida and distributed from Central to South Florida, also introduced to Louisiana.

Recognition: Prostrate perennial forming a much-branched dense creeping mat with green, trifoliate leaves having obovate to obcordate emarginated leaflets.  Terminal leaflet larger than the lateral leaflets. Stipules triangular and pubescent.  Flowers 1-3 in leaf axils, pink to bluish to purplish in color.  The pod flat, jointed and small.  When mature at the slightest touch the pod or its segments attach to anything that passes by its tiny hooked hairs.  The entire plant has the tiny hooked hairs, or long hairs; very pubescent.

Potentially confused species:   D. incanum (Creeping Beggarweed, Spanish Clover, Tick Trefoil) leaves are elliptical to oblong, dark green in color with a silver stripe along the center vein.   D. tortuosum (Dixie Ticktrefoil/Beggarweed, Florida Beggarweed) leaves are ovate to oblong with flowers that could be bluish-green or pink, on a plant rising potentially multiple feet tall (vs. prostrate).

Other:  The whole plant is used medicinally for inducing sweat and promoting digestion.

Contributed by: Andrea Schechter.