Roundhead bushclover facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roundhead bushclover |
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| Genus: |
Lespedeza
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| Species: |
capitata
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The Lespedeza capitata is a type of flowering plant in the Fabaceae family, also known as the legume or pea family. It's commonly called roundhead bushclover or roundhead lespedeza. This plant grows naturally in eastern North America, including parts of Canada and the eastern United States.
It's a plant that lives for many years, growing straight up to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall. Its main root, called a taproot, can go over two meters (6.5 feet) deep into the soil. Other roots spread out about one meter (3 feet) sideways. The leaves are arranged one after another along the stem, and each leaf has several smaller parts called leaflets. The whole plant is covered in soft, silvery hairs. The flowers grow in roundish groups at the top of each stem. Each flower is white and has a small purple spot.
Contents
What is Roundhead Bushclover Used For?
This plant is often included in seed mixes to help grow plants on rangelands, which are open areas where animals graze. It's a good food source for farm animals because it tastes good and has lots of nutrients. People also use the plant in flower arrangements to make beautiful bouquets.
Traditional Uses by Native Americans
Many Native American groups used this plant for different medicines. For example, it was used in a treatment called moxibustion to help with joint pain. The Comanche people made tea from its leaves. The Meskwaki used the roots to create a remedy for poisons.
The Pawnee people called the plant rabbit foot because its fruits look like a rabbit's foot. They would make tea from the dried stems and leaves when they didn't have coffee. Among the Omaha and Ponca people, it was known as the male buffalo bellow plant.
Modern Cultivation
In 1998, the USDA released a special type of this plant called 'Kanoka'. This type was developed for specific uses.
What Challenges Does the Plant Face?
Like many plants, the roundhead bushclover can get sick or be eaten by insects. It might suffer from certain types of rust fungi, like Uromyces lespedezae-procaumbentis, and a tar spot fungus called Phyllachora lespedezae. An insect called Pachyschelus laevigatus also likes to eat this plant.
Where Does Roundhead Bushclover Grow?
In nature, you can find this plant in forests, on prairies (large open grasslands), and in places where the land has been disturbed, like along roadsides. It can handle dry conditions very well. This plant is also special because it helps to put nitrogen back into the soil, a process called nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen is a very important nutrient for other plants to grow.
Animals That Interact with the Plant
The roundhead bushclover is a host plant for many types of butterflies and moths, known as lepidoptera. Some of these include the eastern tailed blue, gray hairstreak, hoary edge, northern cloudywing, orange sulphur, silver-spotted skipper, southern cloudywing, and spring azure.
Its seeds are a favorite food for several bird species, especially the bobwhite quail.
See also
In Spanish: Lespedeza capitata para niños
