PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
 
   
 
Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

Slender Bush Clover (Lespedeza virginica)

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Photo by Suzan Campbell

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Slender Bush Clover (Lespedeza virginica), a Wisconsin Threatened plant, is found in dry prairies and open upland woodlands, as well as red cedar glades on quartzite. Blooming occurs early-August through late-September, fruiting throughout September. The optimal identification period for this species is early-August through September.

 
 
 

Slender bush clover is an erect forb with purple flowers, 6-8mm, and cleistogamous flowers lacking petals, chiefly along the middle of the stem in small, subsessile clusters, chasmogamous flowers are showy, in short, few-flowered racemes from the upper axils. Peduncles are shorter than the leaves, forming a crowded, leafy inflorescence. Calyx lobes of the chasmogamous flowers are 1.7-3mm, the 2 uppermost fused together to the middle or beyond. Fruits are thinly and inconspicuously covered with straight, stiff hairs. Leaves are usually erect or strongly ascending, composed of 3 leaflets that are linear to narrowly oblong, 3-7mm wide and 4-6 times as long.

Blooming occurs early-August through late-September, fruiting throughout September.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is early-August through late-September.

Associated species include Quercus macrocarpa, Q velutina, Juniperus virginiana, Polytaenia nuttallii, and Aristida dichotoma.

Slender bush clover is found in dry prairies and open upland woodlands, as well as red cedar glades on quartzite.

Avoid known individual plant locations and conduct operations elsewhere when they are least likely to cause damage. Ideally, this would involve frozen, snow-covered ground. However, in areas of the state where frozen conditions are unreliable, very dry soils late in the growing season might be the best available alternative. Consult with a biologist, if needed.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Avoid locating landings, staging areas, or access routes in open sandy areas dominated by native grasses.

Prescribed burns and/or brushing may be beneficial, dependent on local site conditions and burn frequency. Rotational burns with annual unburned refugia may be preferred.

Maintain partial canopy to encourage woodland species, avoid closed-canopy conditions.

Survey for and control invasive plants prior to conducting timber operations, as these can be spread by vehicles and often respond vigorously to increased light. See forestry BMPs for invasive species.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.