Campylotropis macrocarpa — identification & habitat

False bush-clover is a shrub native to East Asia. Its three-part leaves and pink to purple pea-shaped flowers resemble those of shrub bushclover (Lespedeza bicolor), which belongs to a different genus.

Appearance

Growth form: This is a shrub, usually about 3–7 ft (1–2 m) tall.
Leaves: Each leaf has three oval leaflets.
Flowers: Pinkish or purple pea-shaped flowers line the flowering stems.
Fruit: After flowering, it makes small, flat, one-seeded pods.

Look-alikes

Shrub bushcloverLespedeza bicolor

Look closely at the small leaflike piece beneath each flower: false bush-clover has one flower there, while shrub bushclover (Lespedeza bicolor) usually has two. A distant photo may not show this.

Why they get mixed upBoth have three-part leaves and pink-purple pea flowers.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Botanical collections
Range: It is native to Korea, China, Mongolia, and Taiwan.

Name and classification

About the name: It was once called Lespedeza macrocarpa. The giraldii subspecies, reported from Japan, has hairy pod sides.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

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