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View crop Data sheet EcoPortDesmodium uncinatum
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| BRIEF DESCRIPTION A large ramling legume, with cylindrical or angular stems densely covered with short, hooked hairs. Leaves trifoliate, petiole 2-7 cm long and leaflets ovate, 3-6 cm long and 1.5-2 cm wide, the terminal one on a petiole 0.5-1.5 cm long. Flowers 1 cm long, widely open when flowering, pink becomming bluish after flowering. USES Used for pasture and hay. KILLING T Heavy frosts affect the tops, but in warmer weather the plant recovers quickly. In Queensland 56% of plants survived -10°C. GROWING PERIOD Perennial legume growing spring to autumn. Grazing can commence after about 16 weeks. Top growth should be eaten down rapidly and stock removed for four to eight weeks between grazings. COMMON NAMES Silverleaf desmodium, Silverleaf Spanish clover, Semangii, Pega-pega, Koer, Enieo. FURTHER INF Scientific synonyms: Hedysarum uncinatum, Meibomia uncinata. Silverleaf desmodium is native of the Americas, from Mexico to northern Argentina. In Kenya silverleaf desmodium can be grown at altitudes from sea level to about 2400 m. At about 10°S and N it is limited to an area below 1000 m in elevation. In general it can be found at low elevations in the subtropics and favours elevations between 500 and 2000 m in the tropics. Its latitudinal range is from 19°N to 30°S. A dry matter production of about 4-7 t/ha can be obtained. It may recover from moderate fires, but burning is not recommended. | Sources |
| Grassland Index Skerman P 1988 pp 286-298 [TEMP, KTMP, RAIN, DRA, DEP, TEXT, PH, SAL, FER] Duke J 1979 pp 101 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Duke J 1981 pp 318 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Bryant P 1973 pp 346-347 [TEXT, RAIN, KTMP, TEMP, PHO] Bogdan A 1977 pp 350-354 [TEMP, KTMP, RAIN, TEXT, PH, SAL, DRA] Mannetje L 1992 pp 116-118 [RAIN, DRA, DEP, SAL, TEMP, TEXT, PH, LIMIT] Tropical forages 2005 |