Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Spanish: zarzabacoa dulce

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Perennial herb, erect, to about 1 m tall; stems striate, pubescent; stipules deltoid-subulate, 3-5.5 mm long; stipels subulate, about 1-3.5 mm long; leaves 3-foliolate, the petiole about 5-45 mm long, leaflets ovate or lanceolate, sometimes rhombic, about 2-9 cm long, 2-5 cm broad, acute, mucronate at apex, rounded at base, moderately pubescent with subappressed, sometimes glandular hairs above, lower surface densely pilose, secondary veins conspicuous; inflorescences racemose, sometimes paniculate, terminal or axillary; primary bracts subulate, 2.5-5.5 mm long; secondary bracts subulate, about 1.5 mm long, caducous; flowers about 3.5-4 mm long, calyx 2.5-3 mm long, deeply lobate, puberulent, sometimes viscid; petals purplish or pinkish (greenish yellow when immature); fruit essentially sessile, 1-6-articulate, twisted, the terminal article orbicular to reniform, 7-9 mm long, 5-6 mm wide, puberulent, reticulate, lower articles sterile, about 2 mm long and wide; seeds light brown, about 3 mm long, 2 mm broad"  (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; p. 617).

Habitat/ecology:  "A species of tropical America, in shrubby cover in various soil types, from sea level to 1,000 m" (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; p. 617).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Mexico, West Indies, Central and South America (GRIN)

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Darwin Islands	Darwin Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Española Group	Española Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Española Group	Gardner por Española Islet	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Campéon Islet	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Marielas Sur Islet	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcan Alcedo	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcan Darwin	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcan Ecuador	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Marchena Group	Marchena Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Pinta Group	Pinta Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Pinzón Group	Pinzón Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Baltra Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Daphne Mayor Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Eden Islet	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Punta Bowditch Norte Islet	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Punta Bowditch Sur Islet	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Seymour Norte Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santiago Group	Mao Islet	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santiago Group	Rábida Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santiago Group	Santiago Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Wolf Islands	Wolf Island	probably introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Research Station (2005)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2008)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2008)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2008)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2008)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2008)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	uncertain if native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2008)

Comments:  Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station.

Additional information:
Additional online information about Desmodium glabrum is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Desmodium glabrum as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Desmodium glabrum may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre. 2008. International Legume Database & Information Service. Online searchable database.

U. S. Government. 2006. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2008. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wiggins, I. L./Porter, D. M. 1971. Flora of the Galapágos Islands. Stanford University Press. 998 pp.