Fabaceae
Scorpion ticktrefoil
Desmodium scorpiurus
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Genus
- Desmodium
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Common names
By language (2)
- Chinese
- 虾尾山蚂蝗, 蝦尾山螞蝗, 蝎尾山蚂蝗, 蝎尾山蚂蟥, 蝦尾山蚂蝗
- English
- Scorpion ticktrefoil, Samoan clover, Scorpion tick trefoil, Scorpion tick-trefoil
Synonyms
- Desmodium akoense Hayata
- Desmodium arenarium Kunth
- Desmodium cinereum Poepp. ex Griseb.
- Desmodium multicaule DC.
- Desmodium parviflorum M.Martens & Galeotti
- Desmodium virgatum Desv.
- Hedysarum ramosum Willd. ex Steud.
- Hedysarum scorpiurus Sw.
- Meibomia arenaria (Kunth) Kuntze
- Meibomia martensii Kuntze
- Meibomia multicaulis (DC.) Kuntze
- Meibomia scorpiurus (Sw.) Kuntze
- Nissoloides cylindrica M.E.Jones
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Lower 48 states: introduced, Puerto Rico: native, U.S. Virgin Islands: native
Photos

Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Wendrio Melo, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Olendekah AMBOUA ISSENGUE, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Olendekah AMBOUA ISSENGUE, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Finola Jennings Clark, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Desmodium
- Zarzabacoa comunDesmodium incanumFabaceae
- Dixie ticktrefoilDesmodium tortuosumFabaceae
- Desmodium molliculumFabaceae
- Panicledleaf ticktrefoilDesmodium paniculatumFabaceae
- Showy tick-trefoilDesmodium canadenseFabaceae
- Greenleaf ticktrefoilDesmodium intortumFabaceae
- Hawai'i ticktrefoilDesmodium uncinatumFabaceae
- Desmodium cuneatumFabaceae
- Largebract ticktrefoilDesmodium cuspidatumFabaceae
- Dillenius' ticktrefoilDesmodium glabellumFabaceae
- Illinois ticktrefoilDesmodium illinoenseFabaceae
- Smooth ticktrefoilDesmodium laevigatumFabaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.