Desmodium triflorum
Desmodium triflorum
Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC.
Basionym: Hedysarum triflorum L.; Meibomia triflora (L.) Kuntze
Family: Fabaceae (alt. Leguminosae) subfamily: Faboideae tribe: Desmodieae subtribe: Desmodiinae.
Asia: smau kaè lolook (Cambodia); 三点金 san dian jin (China); delilan (Javanese), djukut djarem, jukut jarem (Sundanese), daun mules, sisik betok (also D. heterophyllum), udu pelian bule (Indonesia); hai-makie-hagi (Japan); rumput barek sisek putih, sisek tenggiling (Malaysia); gumadep (Ifugao); himbispuyo (Visayas); kaliskis-dalag (Tagalog)(Philippines); ya-klethoi, ya-tanhoi, ya-tansai (Thailand); cây hàn the ba hoa, hàn the ba hoa, tràng quả ba hoa (Vietnam)
English: black clover, creeping tick trefoil, three-flower beggarweed, lesser clover-leaved desmodium, matty desmodium, tropical trefoil
Europe: desmodium à trois fleurs, petit oseille marron, trèfle gazon, trèfle noir, trèfle petit, trèfle rampant, trèfle savane (French); dreiblütiger wandelklee (German)
Indian subcontinent: kodalia (Assamese); kudaliya (Bengali); motha, kudaliya (Hindi); kaadu menthe, kaadu pullampurasi, kaadu pullam purasi (Kannada): നിലംപരണ്ട nilamparanda, cherupalladi, cherupulladi, nilampulladi, nilamparanta, kunnappalai, munta-mandu (Malayalam); chipti, ran-methi (Marathi); bawngekhlo (Mizo); बुटे कनिके bute kanike, nimphuli (Nepali); kansisna, bawngekhlo (Oriya); त्रिपदी tripadi, हंसपदी hamsapadi (Sanskrit); heen-undupiyali (Sinhalese); ciru pullati, sirupulladi, sirupullati (Tamil); moohoodoo, muntamandu, moordoo (Telugu); bawngekhlo
Latin America: amor-do-campo, amorzinho-seco, trevinho-de-campo (Brazil); acaba pangola, alfalfilla, alfalfillo de llano, cuartillo, estacal, hierba cuartillo, morlomin, pequeño trébol desmodio de hoja plateada, desmodio plateado, desmodium español (Spanish)
Madagascar: kodiadiamborona, tsimathatrandrivamanitra
Pacific: konikoni, vakathengu (Fiji); olmud (Palau); kihikihi (Tonga)
Prostrate, mainly perennial herb, forming mat 3 - 5 (- 50) cm tall, strong, woody taproot. Stems slender, reddish, white or cream pubescent, much branched, extending to 50 cm, frequently rooting at the nodes. Leaves pinnately trifolioliate (lower leaves sometimes unifoliolate), leaflets 0.3- 1 (-1.5) cm long and 0.3 - 0.9 (- 1.4) cm wide, obovate to obcordate, base cuneate, apex truncate or emarginate, glabrous above, finely pubescent below; lateral leaflets smaller than terminalleaflet; petiole 0.4 - 0.8 (- 1.5) cm long, pubescent; stipule c. 5 mm long, ovate-lanceolate; rachis 3 - 6 mm long; petiolules 2- 3 mm long. Flowers 5 mm long, in short axillary racemes of 1–3(- 5); corolla pink to purple, rarely white; pedicel puberulent, 3-8 mm long, to 1.3 cm at fruiting. Pods flat, segmented, 5-12 (- 18) mm long and 2–3.5 mm wide, comprising 3–5 (- 7) articles, covered with minute hooked hairs; upper suture straight, lower suture constricted between the articles; articles nearly quadrate, reticulately veined, separating when ripe. Seed yellow, reniform to orbicular ca. 1.2 x 1.7 mm.
D. triflorum is widespread throughout the world tropics and subtropics, extending into continental regions that experience extremes of hot and cold. Attempts have been made to define the limits of indigineity, but these are somewhat blurred by encroachment of areas of naturalisation.
A component of short (grazed) native and sown pastures, where it can form up to 50% of the herbage. Creeping mat can provide good ground cover during the wet season, especially in mown or closely cut uses
Maintains a stable ground cover in association with stoloniferous grasses under constant heavy grazing or regular mowing such as under plantation crops and in lawns.
Considered to have medicinal properties for treating dysentery, rheumatism, fever, jaundice, stomach ache, skin problems, wounds and ulcers (in particular in India and China).
Found on a wide range of soil types, including acid, high Al soils.
D. triflorum largely occurs in moist, well-drained soils in the humid and subhumid tropics and subtropics with annualrainfall above 700 mm; it behaves as perennial under well-distributed rainfall and as an annual in the strongly seasonally dry tropics. While it survives mid-season dry periods, leaf drop serves as a survival mechanism in even moderately dry periods.
It is well-adapted to warm environments, being found largely between the Tropics, although it has been found about 28° S in Australia and possibly at similar latitude north of the Equator in Iran. Leaves are readily frosted, but plants recover with the onset of warmer conditions.
Very shade-tolerant, being more dominant than grasses under the shade of shrub canopies. Persists under plantation crops in the Pacific.
Flowers and sets seed over a long period making seed production difficult.
Resistant to heavy grazing and frequent mowing or cutting.
Pastures containing D. triflorum are rarely burned with a hot fire because of low fuel loads, but the plants can re-establish from rootstocks or seed.
Guidelines for establishment and management of sown forages. Establishment D. triflorum is rarely sown commercially. It spreads naturally through seed in dung or by adhering to the coats of grazing animals. Responds well to P (and S). Compatable with prostrategrass and legume species. Grasses: Paspalum notatum, Axonopus spp., Cynodon spp., Bothriochloa pertusa, Ischaemum timorense. No information available. Occurs in most land uses in regions to which it is well adapted such as pastures, roadsides, lawns. It is found throughout the tropics. May be considered a weed in cultivation and in lawns.Fertilizer
Compatibility (with other species)
Companion species
Legumes: Alysicarpus vaginalis, D. heterophyllum.Pests and diseases
Ability to spread
Weed potential
14–18% CP.
Very palatable to all classes of livestock, including poultry.
No reports of toxicity.
In most situations D. triflorum produces so little dry matter, it is unlikely to be seriously considered in any sown pasture or forage program. Nevertheless yields of up to 4t/ha DM have been recorded.
Widespread and persistent under heavy grazing and so likely to markedly improve the diet of livestock on heavily grazed native pastures such as those found on communally owned and managed grazing land.
2n = 22
No commercial seed production due to limited or no demand, low growth habit and the extended period over which flowering and seed set occurs.
No information available.
None released to date.
None reported.