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Desmanthus virgatus
Also called Ground Tamarind, Virgate Mimosa
Desmanthus virgatus is a woody perennial shrub or herb from the American tropics, grown as forage and a soil-improving legume. It dies back to its root in dry spells and regrows when moisture returns.
Desmanthus virgatus is a species of flowering plant in the legume family that is known by many common names, including wild tantan, prostrate bundleflower, dwarf koa, desmanto, acacia courant, acacia savane, pompon blank, adormidera, brusca prieta, frijolillo, ground tamarind, guajillo, guashillo, huarangillo, langalet, petit acacia, petit cassie, petit mimosa, virgate mimosa, and slender mimosa, as well as simply desmanthus. It is native to the American tropics and subtropics but is present elsewhere as an introduced species. In some areas it is cultivated as a fodder and forage crop.
This plant grows in open habitat types. It easily colonizes disturbed habitat such as roadsides and quarries. It grows in clay and sandy soil types. It is most common at lower altitudes. Its habit of dying back to the root crown helps it to withstand drought, frost, fire, and grazing. It resprouts when conditions are less harsh. It cannot tolerate shade, however, and it does not thrive under a tree canopy.
Prostrate bundleflower is palatable to livestock and non-toxic, and it contains ample protein. It has been found to put weight on cows. While it makes a good food plant for cattle, it is not as promising a feed for pigs. The plant appears to help control erosion and fixes nitrogen, improving the soil. It may be cut for fodder or grown in a field, as it is very tolerant of grazing. The action of grazing animals actually stimulates the plant and more seedlings survive under the pressure of grazing. Livestock, such as sheep, help disperse the plant's seeds throughout the rangeland, as they survive passage through the gut. Several cultivars have been commercially released, including 'Marc' and 'Balli Germplasm'.
Two-horn bundleflower · Illinois bundleflower · Bundleflower
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Desmanthus virgatus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
