Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Erect or ascending annual 10-60 cm tall, sparsely to densely uncinate-hispidulous stems and branches. Leaves: On petioles 1-5 cm long, puberulent to subglabrate, with stipules narrowly ovate acuminate or attenuate, 1-4.5 mm long, ciliate along margins, basal leaves unifoliolate, leaflet broadly rhombic to transversely elliptic, entire or faintly 3-lobate, 5-15 mm wide, 1-7 cm long, upper leaves more linear to linear-lanceolate 3-12 mm wide, 1-6 cm long, glabrous, gray-green. Flowers: In terminal and axillary racemes with a small corolla, branches to 20 cm long, calyx 1.5-2 mm long, with minute short-ciliate teeth; corolla yellowish or greenish, 3-4 mm long. Fruits: Spirally twisted loment, uncinate-puberulent, 3-6 jointed, joints 1.5-3 mm wide, 2.5-4.2 mm long, margins alternately involute and revolute, appearing spirally twisted. Ecology: Found on slopes, in canyons and on grassy flats from 3,500-6,500 ft (1067-1981 m); flowers August-September. Notes: It is difficult to distinguish among the Desmodium so consulting a key to clearly discern is useful. This description is a merging of the old description for var. procumbens and var. exiguum, which appear to have been merged in recent years. Ethnobotany: Unknown Etymology: Desmodium might come from the Greek desmos meaning bond, fastening or chain, referring to the loment, while procumbens means having trailing or prostrate stems. Synonyms: None Editor: SBuckley, 2010