Relatives
Lespedeza cytrobotrya Miq. - Dense Bush-clover.
Taxonomic position.
Family Fabaceae Lindl., genus Lespedeza Michx.Main synonyms:
Lespedeza virgata Sieb. et Zucc.Morphology and biology.
Perennial shrub 1.5-2(5) m tall. Stem up to 15 cm diameter, branched. Branches spreading or directed upwards, densely covered with adpressed white hairs. Cauline leaves on long petioles, leaves of lateral branches shortly petiolate. Stipules subulate or setaceous, 2-5 mm long. Petioles covered with adpressed white hairs. Leaves consist of 3 orbicular-elliptic or ovate leaflets. Leaflets of lower leaves up to 5 cm long and 4 cm wide, those of upper ones 0.8 cm long and 0.6 cm wide; all leaflets above green, poorly pubescent or glabrous, beneath glaucous with adpressed ciliate hairs. Inflorescence a rather lax axillary raceme, compressed, short; flowers sessile or shortly pedicellate, 9-12 mm long. Inflorescence rachis covered with white dense hairs. Calyx 4-5 mm long, 4-divided down to middle, with lanceolate acuminate lobes. Corolla purple, twice as long as calyx. Standard rounded, deflexed; wings as long as standard, dark purple; keel obtuse, light purple. Pods 5-7 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, oval, oblique, 1-seeded, with a long beak, covered with dense hairs. Seeds brown with dark brown spots. Flowers in July - August or September.Distribution.
General distribution: Japan, China, Korea. Former USSR: Far East (Ussuri area).Ecology.
On dry mountain slopes, forms thickets.Use and economic value.
Ornamental with long flowering time. Soil-fixing. Melliferous.References:
Kharkevich SS., ed. 1989. Vascular plants of the Soviet Far East. V.4. Leningrad: Nauka. P.201. (In Russian).Shishkin BK., Bobrov EG., ed. 1948. Flora URSS. V.13. P.380. (In Russian).
Cherepanov SK. 1995. Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR). St.Petersburg. 990 p. (In Russian).