Desmodium incanum (G.Mey.) Dc.

Suffruticose to shrubby; stem to 3 m tall, ascending to generally erect, terete to subangulate, uncinulate puberulent to pubescent and somewhat pilose. Leaves trifoliolate, stipulate, petiolate; stipules obliquely ovate acuminate, striate, pu-berulent and pilose on the outer surface, ciliate, at least partially connate on the opposite side of the stem from the petiole, long persistent, 6-10 mm long, 1-2 mm wide; petioles sulcate adaxially, uncinulate puberulent and long spreading pilose, 1.3-3.5 cm long; leaf rachis similar, shorter, to 1.5 cm long; stipels sub-ulate, puberulent, ciliate, 2-5.5 mm long; petiolules stouter, densely stiff pilose, to 3 mm long; leaflets variable, often nearly orbicular at the base of the plant and lanceolate at the apex, mostly elliptic, acute at the apex and rounded at the base, lustrous, darker, and with pilosity along midrib and some uncinulate puberulence on adaxial surface, densely pilose on the paler abaxial surface, terminal leaflets 4-9 cm long, 2.5-4.5 cm wide, the lateral leaflets 3.3-6 cm long, 1.8-2.7 cm wide. Inflorescence terminal and axillary, racemose; rachis angulate, ridged and grooved, densely uncinulate puberulent; pedicels usually solitary, each subtended by 1 primary bract and 2 lateral secondary bracts, all persistent; primary bracts lance acuminate, puberulent on the abaxial surface, ciliate, 2.2-4.5 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide, secondary bracts similar, 1-1.8 mm long, 0.2-0.5 mm wide; pedicels also uncinulate puberulent, 5-10 mm long. Flowers with the calyx bilabiate, un-cinulate puberulent and pilose, the central tooth of lower lobe 2.5-3.5 mm long, the lateral teeth 2-3.5 mm long, the upper bifid lobe 2.5-3.5 mm long; corolla exceeding the calyx, standard obovate, retuse, unguiculate, 3.5-5 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, the wings oblong, slightly auriculate, unguiculate up to ca. 1/3 their length, 3.5-6 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, the keel petals scythe shaped, obtuse at apex, scarcely auriculate, unguiculate, 3.5-6 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide. Loment stipitate, to 8-articulate; stipe 1.5-2 mm long; articles essentially straight above, invaginated about 2/3 their width at the isthmi, uncinulate pubescent throughout, 3.5-4 mm long, 2.5-3 mm wide; seed obtusely oblong, 1 mm long, 0.5 mm wide.

Moist or wet thickets or open banks or fields, sometimes in open, pine or oak forest, frequently a weed in waste ground; at elevations up to 1,400 metres.

The leaves and stems are made into tea.

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.