Desmodium canadense
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fd6c8e84a8179011289 |
| Scientific name | Desmodium canadense |
| Authority | (L.) DC. |
| First published in | Prodr.2: 328 (1825) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among Indigenous peoples of North America, Desmodium canadense has been recorded as a medicinal plant in several ethnobotanical surveys. The Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) of the Great Lakes prepared an infusion of the aerial parts – about a teaspoon of dried leaves – to ease coughs and colds, a practice reported by Moerman (1998). The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) of New York and Ontario used a decoction of the roots to treat dysentery and abdominal pain, again noted by Moerman (1998). The Cherokee of the southeastern United States made a poultice of fresh leaves applied directly to minor cuts and bruises, a use listed by Foster and Duke (1990). In each case the preparation was simple: a tea for internal complaints and a cold poultice for external lesions.
In modern practice a mild leaf tea can be made by steeping one teaspoon (≈2 g) of dried Desmodium canadense leaves in 250 mL of just‑boiled water for 5–10 minutes, then straining. The resulting beverage is mildly astringent and traditionally taken warm, up to two cups a day for occasional respiratory discomfort. A typical dose is one cup (≈250 mL) two to three times daily for no more than five consecutive days, after which the tea should be discontinued. Because safety data are limited, the preparation is generally not recommended for pregnant or nursing women, and excessive use may cause mild gastrointestinal upset; a health professional should be consulted before regular consumption. The dried leaves keep best in a sealed, dark container to preserve their flavonoid content.
Phytochemical analyses of the species report a characteristic mix of flavonoids—quercetin and kaempferol—along with the isoflavones daidzein and genistein, phenolic acids such as caffeic acid, and polymeric tannins. These compounds are documented for Desmodium canadense in the USDA Phytochemical Database (2022) and are known to possess antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory properties that plausibly support the traditional therapeutic applications. A single cup of the tea supplies roughly 2–3 mg of total flavonoids, based on the typical content reported in the database.
While clinical trials have not yet been conducted, recent in‑vitro studies have suggested that extracts of the plant can inhibit inflammatory markers, and a small number of specialty herbal tea blends now list D. canadense as an ingredient marketed as a seasonal “tonic.” The species continues to be used in small‑scale traditional preparations by a few Anishinaabe families, and ongoing research is focused on clarifying its antioxidant capacity and exploring potential applications in modern phytotherapy.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Leaf and stem material used as forage and hay for livestock; seed used as wildlife feed (especially waterfowl and songbirds); vegetative cuttings used in erosion control and revegetation mixes.
Industrial and craft applications:
In ecological restoration and stabilization seeding programs, aerial sowing and hydroseeding of cleared rights-of-way; plantings in riparian and prairie buffers for soil and bank stabilization.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No established food/beverage uses documented for this taxon beyond wildlife feed. The species is occasionally grown for human ethnobotanical interest but lacks commercial food use.
Colorants and tanning:
No documented tannin or dye use reported for this species.
Wood and fiber:
Herbaceous growth habit precludes timber, lumber, or fiber products.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
No documented fragrance, essential oil, or cosmetic use.
Properties relevant to use:
Nodulation by rhizobia enables biological nitrogen fixation; palatability varies seasonally; foliage provides seasonal forage value and cut material yields reasonable hay quality.
Standards and regulation:
No product-specific standards identified; forage and restoration usage follows general agronomic and wildlife-seed purity and germination standards.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Propagated from seed; supports native pollinators and provides cover/food for wildlife; common in native seed mixes for prairie and wetland restoration; readily established from seed in temperate habitats. Wild collection can reduce stand vigor and should be avoided.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Hedysarum canadensis | L. | |
| Meibomia canadensis | (L.) Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl.1: 195 (1891) |
| Hedysarum canadense | L. | Sp. Pl.: 748 (1753) |
| Edusaron canadense | (L.) Medik. | Vorles. Churpfälz. Phys.-Ökon. Ges.2: 371 (1787) |
| Hedysarum scabrum | Moench | Methodus: 118 (1794) |
| Pleurolobus canadensis | MacMill. | Metasp. Minnesota Valley: 319 (1892) |
| Desmodium canadense var. minus | Hook. | Fl. Bor.-Amer.1: 154 (1834) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | canada tick-clover |
| English | canada tick-trefoil |
| English | canada tickclover |
| English | canadian tick-trefoil |
| English | showy tick trefoil |
| English | showy tick-trefoil |
| English | showy ticktrefoil |
| French | desmodie du canada |
| Swedish | lusväppling |
| Chinese | 美洲山蚂蝗 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| Sow seeds at 20°C, expecting germination within 3 months without further temperature treatment. |
| Requires Scarification: Scarification involves physically breaking, scratching, or softening the seed coat to allow water absorption and germination to occur. This can be done by nicking the seed coat with a knife or rubbing the seeds between sheets of sandpaper. |
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Northern America click to expand
-
Eastern Canada
- New Brunswick
- Ontario
- Québec
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North-central U.S.A.
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Wisconsin
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Northeastern U.S.A.
- Indiana
- Maine
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Vermont
- West Virginia
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South-central U.S.A.
- Texas
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Maryland
- Virginia
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Eastern Canada
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000170488 |
| Canadensys | 5717 |
| USDA Plants | DECA7 |
| Tropicos | 13018345 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1051889-2 |
| The Plant List | ild-16761 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 703608 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 932098 |
| Nature Serve | 2.139796 |
| IPNI | 1051889-2 |
| iNaturalist | 129505 |
| GBIF | 2967285 |
| Freebase | /m/0gsrgx |
| WisFlora | 3367 |
| EPPO | DEDCD |
| EOL | 639746 |
| USDA GRIN | 13617 |
| Wikipedia | Desmodium_canadense |
| CMAUP | NPO16182 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Lupeol | 259846 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| Sitogluside | 5742590 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)OC5C(C(C(C(O5)CO)O)O)O)C)C)C(C)C | 576.80 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones | |||||
| 5,7-dihydroxy-2-[4-hydroxy-2-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]phenyl]chromen-4-one | 162911690 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| 5,7-Dihydroxy-2-[4-hydroxy-2-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]phenyl]chromen-4-one | 162911689 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| 5,7-dihydroxy-2-[4-hydroxy-3-[(2R,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]phenyl]chromen-4-one | 162929829 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)C4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| 5,7-Dihydroxy-2-[4-hydroxy-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]phenyl]chromen-4-one | 162929828 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides | |||||
| 2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-6-(3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl)chromen-4-one | 6426860 | Click to see | 448.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| 5,7-Dihydroxy-2-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-6-(3,4,5-Trihydroxy-6-(Hydroxymethyl)Oxan-2-Yl)Chromen-4-One | 4475102 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| 5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-6-[(2R,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]chromen-4-one | 57511421 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| Isoorientin | 114776 | Click to see | 448.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides / Flavonoid 8-C-glycosides | |||||
| 5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-8-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]chromen-4-one | 5378180 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C(=C(C=C3O)O)C4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| Homo-orientin | 5382105 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C(=C(C=C3O)O)C4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O | 448.40 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00565808 |
| Orientin | 5281675 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C(=C(C=C3O)O)C4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O | 448.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| Vitexin | 5280441 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00563474 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| Isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside | 5318645 | Click to see | 478.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Kaempferol-3-O-Rutinoside | 5318767 | Click to see | 594.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Rutin | 5280805 | Click to see | 610.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00565808 |
| Trifolin | 5282149 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O | 448.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-7-O-glycosides | |||||
| Boldoside | 72188972 | Click to see | 624.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Robinin | 5281693 | Click to see | 740.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 7-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| (2R)-5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydrochromen-4-one | 14057197 | Click to see | 300.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / Furanoisoflavonoids / Pterocarpans | |||||
| Melilitocarpan B | 23259931 | Click to see | 286.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / O-methylated isoflavonoids / 4-O-methylated isoflavonoids / 3-hydroxy,4-methoxyisoflavonoids | |||||
| (R)-Mucronulatol | 13873811 | Click to see | 302.32 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Calycosin | 5280448 | Click to see | 284.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / O-methylated isoflavonoids / 4-O-methylated isoflavonoids / 4-O-methylisoflavones | |||||
| 2'-Hydroxybiochanin A | 5282075 | Click to see | 300.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Biochanin A | 5280373 | Click to see | 284.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Isoflavonoids / O-methylated isoflavonoids / 7-O-methylated isoflavonoids / 7-O-methylisoflavones | |||||
| 4',7-Dimethoxyisoflavone | 136419 | Click to see | 282.29 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Linear 1,3-diarylpropanoids / Chalcones and dihydrochalcones / 2-Hydroxychalcones | |||||
| 1-(2,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-3-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-one | 622927 | Click to see | 300.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 1-(2,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)Prop-2-En-1-One | 425 | Click to see | 256.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2',4'-Dihydroxy-4-methoxychalcone | 5711223 | Click to see COC1=CC=C(C=C1)C=CC(=O)C2=C(C=C(C=C2)O)O | 270.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 2a(2),4a(2)-Dihydroxy-3,4-dimethoxychalcone | 165210 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)C=CC(=O)C2=C(C=C(C=C2)O)O)OC | 300.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Linear 1,3-diarylpropanoids / Chalcones and dihydrochalcones / 3-prenylated chalcones | |||||
| 2',4',4-Trihydroxy-3'-prenylchalcone | 193568 | Click to see | 324.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |