Lespedeza hirta

Lespedeza hirta
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Subfamily:	Faboideae
Genus:	Lespedeza
Species:	L. hirta
Binomial name
Lespedeza hirta (L.) Hornem. (1815)
Synonyms[2]
Synonymy Despeleza hirta (L.) Nieuwl. (1914) Hedysarum hirtum L. (1753) Lespedeza angustifolia Nutt. (1873), not validly publ. Lespedeza capitata var. calycina (Schindl.) (1941) Lespedeza hirta var. appressipilis S.F.Blake (1924) Lespedeza hirta var. calycina Schindl. (1913) Lespedeza hirta var. curtissii (Clewell) Isely (1986) Lespedeza hirta subsp. curtissii Clewell (1964) Lespedeza hirta var. dissimulans Fernald (1941) Lespedeza hirta var. sparsiflora Torr. & A.Gray (1840) Lespedeza hirta var. typica Schindl. (1913), not validly publ. Lespedeza polystachya Michx. (1803) Onobrychis hirta (L.) Scop. (1777)

Lespedeza hirta, the hairy lespedeza or hairy bush clover, is a perennial forb native to Ontario and the eastern United States. It grows at most three feet high. It has inconspicuous small white blooms in the summer and prefers average to dry soil. It is noteworthy for the number of Lepidoptera species it supports. It is a larval host to the bella moth, black-spotted prominent moth, cloudless sulpher, confused cloudy-wing, eastern tailed blue, gray hairstreak, southern cloudywing, and zarucco duskywing.[3]

References

1. Contu, S. (2012). "Lespedeza hirta". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012: e.T19892369A20094485. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T19892369A20094485.en. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
2. Lespedeza hirta (L.) Hornem. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
3. The Xerces Society (2016), Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects, Timber Press.