Lespedeza bicolor is a species of flowering plant in the
legume family known by the common names shrubby bushclover, shrub lespedeza, and bicolor lespedeza. It is native to eastern Asia, ranging from southeastern Siberia to eastern China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan.[1][2][3] and it is widely grown as an
ornamental plant. In some regions, such as the southeastern United States, it grows in the wild as an
introduced and
invasive species.[4]
Description
This plant is quite variable in appearance, and it has been bred into a number of
cultivars. In general, this plant is an erect
shrub growing to 3 metres (9.8 feet) in height and width, generally remaining smaller in cold climates.[4] It can grow from ground level to 5 feet (1.5 metres) in one growing season.[3] The cultivars "Little Buddy" and "Yakushima" grow to 3 feet (0.91 metres)[5] and 1.5 feet (0.46 metres),[6] resp. Lespedeza bicolor grows from a thick root system. The stems may be 3 centimetres (1.2 inches) in diameter. The leaves are each made up of three oval leaflets up to 5 centimetres (2.0 inches) long. The
inflorescence is a
raceme of up to 15 open
pealike flowers,[4] which are pink and purple in color.[3] There are also
cleistogamous flowers which self-pollinate and do not open. The fruit is a flat
legume pod nearly a centimeter long which contains one seed.[4]
Cultivation
This species was first introduced to the United States as an ornamental shrub in 1856, and it was likely introduced several times after that. In the 1930s it was recommended for use as
erosion control and in the
revegetation of abandoned
mine sites. It was used to enhance wildlife habitat, particularly for the
northern bobwhite. The
United States Department of Agriculture produced and distributed the seed and many millions were planted. A number of strains and cultivars were developed to improve the plant's
drought tolerance and seed production.
Habitat
It can grow in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas. By the 1990s the plant had
escaped cultivation and taken hold in many regions of the eastern United States, especially those in the
Southeast. In the US, it is now present from
New York to northern
Florida and as far west as
Nebraska and
Texas. It can be found as far north as
Ontario in Canada.[4]
In some areas this plant can form dense stands, becoming an aggressive invader.[4] It has been considered threatening in areas where it has disturbed or prevented the growth of native plants, including grasses and trees. It may spread after fire, interfering in schedules of
controlled burns of fire-adapted habitat types.[4]
Phytochemicals
Lespedeza bicolor var. japonica contains
lespedamine which is structurally related to
DMT[7][8] and dihydrolespedezol derivatives, as well as the dimeric flavonoid, lespebicolin B[9]
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abcdefgGucker, Corey L. (2010)
Lespedeza bicolor. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. Retrieved 2011-11-25.