Common Name:

General Information

Desmodium heterophyllum is a more-or less prostrate perennial plant, branching freely and rooting from strongly stoloniferous stems to form dense mats of growth[].
The plant can be grown as a ground cover and green manure.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - China, southern Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea

Habitat

Riversides, roadsides, field margins, grasslands; at elevations from 200 - 500 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.20 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Cultivated

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 900 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 23 - 28°c, but can tolerate 12 - 35°c[]. It cannot tolerate frost[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 2,000 - 4,000mm, but tolerates 1,500 - 5,000mm, and is able to persist through a dry season of up to 5 months[].
Succeeds on a wide range of soils from sands to clays[]. Plants are very efficient at extracting phosphorus from infertile soils and will tolerate high levels of aluminium, but have little salt or drought tolerance[].Plants are tolerant of water-logged soils and seasonal, short-term flooding[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.5 - 7[].
Because of the abundant small uncinate hairs on most species, the seedpods cling most tenaciously to clothing, to any part of the human body, and also to the feathers and hair of various animals, thus ensuring a wide dispersal of the plants[]. This species is known to have escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in many areas[].
Plants do not tolerate fire well[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria; these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is shade tolerant and can be used as a cover crop - it is often so used in pepper gardens in Sarawak, for example. It is not suitable for cut-and-carry systems[]..

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed develops a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing.
The seed usually germinates within 1 - 4 months at 25°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on until large enough to plant out.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel.
Division. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on until they are rooting well.
Root cuttings.

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