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San Pedro ticktrefoil
Scientific Name: Desmodium batocaulon
Family: Fabaceae
Category: Dicot
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
San Pedro Ticktrefoil (Desmodium batocaulon)
The San Pedro Ticktrefoil, scientifically known as Desmodium batocaulon, is a perennial forb/herb belonging to the Fabaceae (pea) family.
Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Family: Fabaceae
- Taxonomic Rank: Species
Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Desmodium batocaulon A. Gray
- Synonym: Meibomia batocaulis (A. Gray) Kuntze
- Common Names: San Pedro Ticktrefoil, Tick Clover, San Pedro Tick Trefoil
Distribution and Habitat
This plant is found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, including areas within the Sonoran Desert region. Specifically, it is mentioned in locations such as San Antonio, TX, Peck Canyon (Santa Cruz Co.) in Arizona, New Mexico and Sonora, Mexico.
Morphological Characteristics
- Desmodium batocaulon is described as a perennial forb/herb, meaning it's a non-woody plant that lives for more than two years.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- The San Pedro Ticktrefoil serves as a caterpillar host plant for the Sonoran Banded-Skipper butterfly in Sonora, Mexico.
- Adult butterflies may feed on the flower nectar of this plant.
Further Information
More information can be found on websites such as Discover Life and Garden Guides, although some databases may have incomplete entries.
Quirky Facts
- The common name "ticktrefoil" and related names ("tick clover," "hitch hikers," or "beggar lice") may allude to the plant's seed pods attaching to animal fur or clothing.