Desmodium glutinosum (Pointed-leaf Tick-trefoil)
| Also known as: | Large-flower tickclover |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Desmodium |
| Family: | Fabaceae (Pea) |
| Life cycle: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Habitat: | part shade, shade; woods, thickets |
| Bloom season: | June - August |
| Plant height: | 1 to 4 feet |
| Wetland Indicator Status: | none |
| MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
| National distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
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Detailed Information
Flower: 
![[photo of flowers]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pink/pointed-leaf-tick-trefoil_0711_171523.jpg)
Clusters of stalked flowers at the top of the stem and arising from upper leaf axils, each cluster branched or not, the flowers in pairs and loosely arranged on the stem. Flowers are about ¼ inch long and wide, with a round upper lobe and 3 narrow lower lobes, the middle one folded lengthwise. Hugging the inside of the upper lobe are a long curving white style and yellow-tipped stamens. Flower color is pink, occasionally white. The calyx and flower stalk are typically red and sparsely glandular hairy.
Leaves and stem:
![[photo of compound leaf]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pink/desmodium-glutinosum-pointed-leaf-tick-trefoil-0617_104318.jpg)
Leaves are compound in 3s, just below the flower clusters, alternately attached but often crowded and nearly whorled. Leaflets are up to 5 inches long, 3½ inches wide, sparsely hairy, oval to teardrop shaped with a sharply pointed tip. The terminal leaf is largest and much broader than the lateral leaflets, sometimes wider than long. Stems are erect to ascending, unbranched, may be sparsely covered in spreading hairs, and are somewhat sticky from glandular hairs.
Fruit:
![[photo of fruit]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pink/pointed-leaf-tick-trefoil_0726_161340.jpg)
Fruit is a flat pod divided into 1 to 4 segments, each straight to concave on the upper edge and well rounded on the lower, and each containing a single seed.
![[photo of seed]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd/desmodium-glutinosum-15-2.jpg)
Seeds are shaped like a half heart, narrowed at one end, about 7 mm long, and mature to golden yellow. The pod is covered in minute hooked hairs so it sticks to almost anything that passes by.
Notes:
Pointed-leaf Tick-trefoil and American Lopseed (Phryma leptostachya) are both common woodland species, have loosely arranged racemes of tiny pink flowers and bloom at the same time in about the same habitat, sometimes next to each other. American Lopseed has coarsely toothed, simple leaves oppositely attached, the upper lobe of the flowers is narrow, turned up, and the fruit is a seed than points down and hugs the stem. Also similar is the related (and very rare) Naked-flower Tick-trefoil (Desmodium nudiflorum or Hylodesmum nudiflorum), which has terminal leaflets longer than broad and not as sharply pointed, pod segments more triangular in shape, and the flowering stem is completely separated from the leafy stems. Some references have renamed Desmodium glutinosum to Hylodesmum glutinosum; this name is not currently recognized in Minnesota but may be in the future.
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More photos
Pointed-leaf Tick-trefoil plant
Pointed-leaf Tick-trefoil plants
leaf scan
more flowers
white Pointed-leaf Tick-trefoil flowers
Pointed-leaf Tick-trefoil plant
Pointed-leaf Tick-trefoil plants
leaf scan
more flowers
white Pointed-leaf Tick-trefoil flowersPhotos by K. Chayka taken at Wild River State Park, Chisago County, and in Ramsey County. Other photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2009-07-11 07:55:06
There are clusters of this plant on the Luce Line Trail. The largest one I have seen on my morning runs is in Orono close to the sign for Woodrill Nature area on the Luce Line. It is currently in bloom and the flowers are small and beautiful.
on: 2010-07-09 10:44:49
This plant can be found in Lilydale Regional Park in St. Paul, MN.
on: 2010-07-11 22:45:23
In bloom with White Pointed-leaf Tick-treefoil along Wilmes Lake on walking trail near Interlachen Pkwy. in Woodbury.
on: 2010-07-25 14:48:50
We have been trying to identify this plant for a long time. Thank you for this great website! This plant has increasingly been acting like an invasive species in our woods. This year the plants are huge and thick. The pretty pinkish flowers give way to seeds that stick to everything. Our smaller more delicate woodland flowers hardly have a prayer.
on: 2011-07-07 16:43:36
This plant is currently in bloom in many spots in Sunfish Lake Regional Park.
on: 2012-06-23 14:20:30
I have this plant blooming along my woodland edges. It is quite pretty and glad I finally discovered a native flower instead of an invasive species.
on: 2014-07-13 11:36:36
I found two of these next to each other on my wooded lot in partly shaded area.
on: 2014-07-26 10:28:44
This plant is in bloom in a shady area on our property in West Lakeland Township.
on: 2015-08-02 14:13:03
This lovely plant is growing in a wooded area near our cabin in Crow Wing County. The leaves are a broad and heart shaped and resemble poison ivy. I am glad to see that it is a forest plant and NOT poisonous.
on: 2017-07-10 21:40:36
For years I've been calling this American Lopseed, now just realizing it is not. I have both American Lopseed and Pointed-leaf Tick Trefoil (what a long name!) growing next to each other on my hill.
on: 2017-07-12 16:44:31
I have found this in a wooded area in Garrison Township and it is a very pretty, delicate plant. It reminds me of a mini orchid. My question is if this is an invasive due to the sticky seeds attaching to everything. Thanks for your feedback! Linda
on: 2017-07-12 17:46:52
Linda, the term "invasive" is generally reserved for exotic species; we don't normally use it to describe natives. In the case of Desmodium, the sticky pods help it move around but it does not create dense monocultures and crowd out other plants like an invasive species would. In its natural habitat there is sufficient competition to prevent that.
on: 2019-09-16 18:16:00
This plant is along the creek at Caron Park in Rice County. In this second week of September, the leaves are turning yellow.
on: 2020-06-30 21:39:47
I have this beauty volunteering it's presence in my wild east garden. Truly enjoyable to see.
on: 2020-07-07 17:52:09
These are beautiful. We found them blooming on the hiking trails at Maria Lake State Park.
on: 2020-07-11 00:11:26
blooming in July in wooded areas of Leaf River township.
on: 2020-07-31 11:43:07
These are in shade along the walking trails in our woods. The woods consist primarily of oak and aspen with some red pines. Blooming on July 30, 2020
on: 2022-07-09 19:00:46
Blooming in early July. Lots of them in dense woods. Seeds stick to dog fur so badly in fall that we have to cut it out.
on: 2022-07-25 13:43:36
I found something i Believe to be this at Lake Maria State Park, they're fairly common at the state park. I cant remember the shape of the leaves fully so i cant remember the exacts, but based on the picture i have of it i believe it to be this species
on: 2022-08-06 18:14:18
We have this growing at the edges of our woodlands. I considered it an invasive weed; the seeds have a velcro texture and stick to everything. Not sure that I can think of it as a beneficial native plant.
on: 2022-08-06 18:30:33
Deb, just having velcro-like fruit doesn't make it invasive - lots of native plants have that kind of fruit. And a woodland edge is its natural habitat so it actually belongs there. A weed is a plant out of place, so you are incorrect calling it one. I have to admit, however, it is pretty darn annoying if you happen to walk through a patch that has mature fruit, though there are some far worse offenders than the tick-trefoils, such as Hackelia (the bane of my existence!)
on: 2022-08-29 22:40:45
Has the genus changed? https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/hylodesmum/glutinosum/ Thank you.
on: 2022-08-30 02:37:58
MJ, the genus change to Hylodesmum hasn't been adopted in Minnesota yet, but probably will be eventually.
on: 2022-09-06 16:41:07
First verified find in Carlton Cty. Near Nemadji River on the Between The Rivers Trail. Only a few specimens were found.
on: 2023-01-06 17:24:43
Invasive it is! I've been trying to remove it for over 25 years as it over-shadows all the other wild flowers I would like to see. Monoculture, even if native, isn't nice. It monopolizes the wood edges. The sticky burrs are an additional nuisance that spreads these quite well. I remove all flowers. "Yes, children! Pick these!" And they do look lovely in vase. But I found I had to dig up the rhizome root bulb to make any difference. No, you can just pull but must dig down 4-5 inches and wrench the yellow root from the soil. Round up had no effect; yes, I was that desperate. Does it have any nutritional value to man or beast?
on: 2023-01-07 08:24:35
Kelly, this species is not really aggressive in its natural habitat, though many natives can be weedy in cultivation, or perhaps in a degraded natural area. Is that your case? BTW, it has a taproot, not rhizomes, and definitely does have value to native insects, birds and some herbivores.
on: 2024-07-19 22:32:51
Found this plant in abundance on woodline easements throughout the neighborhood. Beautiful!