Three-flower beggarweed, Three-flower tick-trefoil
Desmodium triflorum

Family: Fabaceae

What it is like

Desmodium triflorum is a ANNUAL/PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. It can fix Nitrogen. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 0.2

Where it is found

Found on a wide range of soils, and most commonly in heavily grazed or closely cut areas in pastures, plantations, roadsides and lawns.

Probably originated in tropical Asia, but is now Pantropical.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Belize, Cambodia, Central Africa, Central America, China, Colombia, East Africa, East Timor, Fiji, Gabon, Guinea, Guin?e, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Marquesas, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South America, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, West Africa, Zimbabwe

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 2

The plant is antipyretic, antiseptic, expectorant. A decoction is commonly used to treat diarrhoea and dysentery; and to quench thirst. A decoction is used as a mouthwash; and the crushed plant, or a poultice of the leaves, is applied externally on wounds, ulcers, and for skin problems in general. The whole plant is used medicinally for inducing sweat and promoting digestion.

Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.

Other

Rating: 2

Agroforestry Uses: Grown as a green manure and cover crop to smother weeds and prevent soil erosion. The creeping mat of vegetation can provide good ground cover during the wet season, especially in mown or closely cut uses such as under plantation crops and in lawns. Bird-Attracting, Butterfly Food Plant

Fodder: Food given to the animals (including plants cut and carried to them) rather than forage for themselves.

Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen: Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.

Agroforestry Services: Understory legume: Legume vegetation, especially the trees and shrubs growing between the forest canopy and the forest floor.

Fodder: Pasture: Enclosed tracts of farmland mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs (non-grass herbaceous plants).

Management: Fodder: Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Minor Global Crop: These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.

Agroforestry Services: Nitrogen: Plants that contribute to nitrogen fixation include the legume family – Fabaceae.

Agroforestry Services: Understory legume: Legume vegetation, especially the trees and shrubs growing between the forest canopy and the forest floor.

Fodder: Pasture: Enclosed tracts of farmland mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs (non-grass herbaceous plants).

Management: Fodder: Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Minor Global Crop: These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

A plant of the moist, lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 18 - 28?c, but can tolerate 14 - 32?c. It can be killed by temperatures of -1?c or lower. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 4,000mm, but tolerates 1,200 - 5,000mm. Tolerant of light levels from deep shade to full sun. Succeeds in most well-drained soils of low to moderate fertility. Tolerant of high aluminium levels in the soil. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7. Because of the abundant small uncinate hairs on most species, the seedpods cling most tenaciously to clothing, to any part of the human body, and also to the feathers and hair of various animals, thus ensuring a wide dispersal of the plants. The plant can escape from cultivation and become naturalized outside its native range - it has been classed as invasive in several countries. Resistant to heavy grazing and frequent mowing or cutting. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed develops a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. The seed usually germinates within 1 - 4 months at 25?c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on until large enough to plant out. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel. Division. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on until they are rooting well. Root cuttings.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Annual/Perennial

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Full shade, semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Because of the abundant small uncinate hairs on most species, the seedpods cling most tenaciously to clothing, to any part of the human body, and also to the feathers and hair of various animals, thus ensuring a wide dispersal of the plants. The plant can escape from cultivation and become naturalized outside its native range - it has been classed as invasive in several countries.

Its other names

Local names

Janglimethi, Klet pla, Kudaliya, Kuddalia, Memang-mong-arabak, Muntamandu, Ranmethi, Rumput barek sisek puteh, Sirupulladi, Trangqua ba-hoa, Ya tan hoi, Ya tan sai, Creeping tick trefoil, Three-flower beggarweed

Synonyms

Aeschynomene triflora Poir. Desmodium albiflorum Cordem. Desmodium bullamense G.Don Desmodium caespitosum Bojer Desmodium granulatum Walp. Desmodium parvifolium Blanco Desmodium stipulaceum (Burm.f.) Hassk. Desmodium stipulaceum Burm.f. Hedysarum granulatum Schum. Hedysarum granulatum Schum. & Thonn. Hedysarum stipulaceum Burm.f. Hedysarum triflorum L. Hippocrepis humilis Blanco Meibomia triflora (L.) Kuntze Nicolsonia reptans Hook.f. & Benth. Nicolsonia reptans Meisn. Nicolsonia reptans Meissner Nicolsonia triflora Griseb. Pleurolobus triflorus (L.) J. St. Hil. Pleurolobus triflorus J.St.-Hil Sagotia triflora (L.) Duchass. & Walp.