Illinois Tick Trefoil (Desmodium illinoense)

This pretty little flower is a member of the pea family. It attracts bumblebees and leaf-cutter beesm which pollinate it, and a wide variety of insects that will eat the leaves, stems, and seeds. The seeds are a food source for quail and turkey, and the leaves are eaten by rabbits, deer, and other mammals. In the wild this plant will be more often found in prairies, unlike its cousin, the Showy Tick Trefoil, which can be found in wooded areas. I have both plants, so I hope the different preferred habitats will prevent too many hybrids from running around.

I like the name and its seed distribution system. The seeds act like ticks, attaching themselves to whatever creature passes by.

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