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Lespedeza procumbens

Michx.

Trailing Bushclover

G5Secure Found in 10 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.128987
Element CodePDFAB270A0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderFabales
FamilyFabaceae
GenusLespedeza
Other Common Names
Lespédèze couchée (FR) trailing lespedeza (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-06-28
Change Date1984-06-07
Edition Date2024-06-28
Edition AuthorsNordman, C. (2024).
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Lespedeza procumbens is a perennial forb found in woodlands and woodland borders. It occurs in eastern North America, in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, from New Hampshire, Vermont and southern Ontario south to Florida, and west to southeastern Kansas, eastern Oklahoma and central Texas. There are over 900 occurrences, which face threats from loss of habitat as a result of residential development and urbanization. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Trailing Bushclover (Lespedeza procumbens) occurs in eastern North America, in the eastern United States, and southeastern Canada, from New Hampshire, Vermont and southern Ontario south to Florida, and west to southeastern Kansas, eastern Oklahoma and central Texas. Range extent was estimated to be 2.2 million square kilometers, using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are more than 300 occurrences of Trailing Bushclover (Lespedeza procumbens) rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Loss of habitat as a result of residential development and urbanization is a threat.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Woodlands and woodland borders (Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2024).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/Woodland
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
New YorkS4Yes
OhioSNRYes
North CarolinaS5Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
MassachusettsSNRYes
VermontS1Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
New JerseyS4Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
IndianaSNRYes
New HampshireS1Yes
KentuckyS4Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
South CarolinaS5Yes
DelawareS5Yes
FloridaSNRYes
MichiganSXYes
VirginiaS5Yes
GeorgiaSNRYes
West VirginiaS4Yes
KansasS2Yes
TexasSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
MississippiSNRYes
CanadaN1
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (10)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Gee CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,957
Georgia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Illinois (1)
AreaForestAcres
Ripple HollowShawnee National Forest3,788
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Devil's BackboneCherokee National Forest4,287
Virginia (4)
AreaForestAcres
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Three SistersGeorge Washington National Forest8,149
West Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Little Allegheny MountainMonongahela National Forest10,514
References (6)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2023. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 11. Magnoliophyta: Fabaceae, parts 1+2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvii + 1108 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. Isely, D. 1990. Vascular flora of the southeastern United States. Vol. 3, Part 2. Leguminosae (Fabaceae). Univ. North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. 258 pp.
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.