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Weed Description: Summer annual, reaching 3-9 feet in height. Leaves and stems covered with short, stiff hairs that often stick to clothing. |
Florida Beggarweed: Desmodium tortuosum
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Weed Description: Summer annual, reaching 3-9 feet in height. Leaves and stems covered with short, stiff hairs that often stick to clothing. |
| Seedling: Cotyledons round to oval with smooth margins, 3-5 mm wide, 5-8 mm long. |  |
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Leaves: Alternate, consisting of 3 elliptic to oblong leaflets in upper leaves (trifoliate), perhaps only 1 leaflet in the lower leaves. Leaves occur on petioles and stipules occur where the petiole meets the stem. Each leaflet 3-4 inches long, ovate to lance-shaped. |
| Stems: Erect, may be
reddish-purple, 3-9 feet tall, usually covered with short stiff hairs. Roots: Taproot. |
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Flowers: Occur near the top of plants as racemes or branched panicles. Petals are bluish-purple to purple, 5-7 mm long. |
| Fruit: A loment of 2-7 oval to circular segments, each 3-5 mm long, 3-4 mm broad. Each segment encloses a seed and is densely covered with short, stiff hairs that stick to clothing. |
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Identifying Characteristics: Distinctive segmented fruit that sticks to clothing, hairy leaves and stems, and presence of stipules are all features that aide in the identification of this weed. |
