More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Flowers of Zihuatanejo
Florida Beggarweed
Desmodium tortuosum
Flowers by Colour
-Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)
-Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)
-Legumes, Milkworts, and Allies (Order Fabales)
-Legumes (Family Fabaceae)
-Subfamily Faboideae
-Tribe Desmodieae
-Subtribe Desmodiinae
-Ticktrefoils (Genus Desmodium)
-Florida Beggarweed (Desmodium tortuosum)
The Florida Beggarweed (Desmodium tortuosum), also known as Florida Tick-Trefoil or Beggar’s Lice, is a fast-growing, nitrogen-fixing leguminous plant in the Fabaceae (pea) family. It is commonly found in pastures, roadsides, and disturbed areas across the southeastern United States, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The flowers are purple to pink, small, pea-like, clustered on terminal spikes. Its seed pods are famously "sticky" due to the hooked hairs, enabling individual segments to latch onto animals or clothing for seed dispersal.
Description
• Desmodium tortuosum, commonly known as dixie tick-trefoil or twisted tick-trefoil, is an annual or short-lived perennial herb in the legume family (Fabaceae). It has upright, branching stems and compound leaves, usually with three broad, oval leaflets. Small pinkish-purple to lavender flowers grow in elongated clusters along the stems. Its narrow, segmented seed pods have small hooked hairs that attach to clothing, animal fur, and feathers, helping the plant disperse its seeds.
Range
• Desmodium tortuosum is native to tropical America, including parts of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. It has become naturalized in many other warm regions. It is established in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• Dixie tick-trefoil grows in sunny, disturbed habitats, including roadsides, pastures, agricultural fields, grasslands, forest margins, and vacant lots. It favours warm conditions and can grow in a range of soil types, particularly in open areas with seasonal moisture. It may form dense stands and is sometimes regarded as an agricultural weed.