Velvet Bundleflower

Acuan velutinum (Scheele) Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PL 158. 1891
Desmanthus relulinus Scheele, Linnaea 21 : 455. 1848.
Desmanthus pcduncutaris Buckl. Proc. Acad. Phila. 1861: 454. 1862.
Branched at the base, prostrate, ascending or nearly erect, 2-5 dm. long, the branches, petioles, leaf-rachis and peduncles densely short -v-illous. Stipules setiform, 3-5 mm. long; leaves 3-5 cm. long; petiole about 1 cm. long or shorter; pinnae 3-6 pairs, with a small orbicular gland between the lowest pair; leaflets linear-oblong, acute or obtuse, 2.5-4 mm. long, ciliate, the faint midvein somewhat excentric; peduncles very slender, 3-6 cm. long; heads severalmany -flowered; calyx puberulent ; stamens 10; legumes 2-8, linear, short-pointed, straight or slightly curved, 3-7 cm. long, about 3 mm. wide, subidate-tipped.
Type locality: Comal Creek near New Braunfels, Texas. Distribution: Texas; Coahuila.

Perennial, Herbs, Taproot present, Nodules present, Stems erect or ascending, Stems or branches arching, spreading or decumbent, Stems less than 1 m tall, Stems solid, Stems or young twigs sparsely to densely hairy, Leaves alternate, Leaves petiolate, Extrafloral nectary glands on petiole, Stipules conspicuous, Stipules setiform, subulate or acicular, Stipules persistent, Stipules free, Leaves compound, Leaves bipinnate, Leaf or leaflet margins entire, Leaflets opposite, Leaflets 10-many, Leaves hairy on one or both surfaces, Inflorescences globose heads, capitate or subcapitate, Inflorescence axillary, Bracts very small, absent or caducous, Flowers actinomorphic or somewhat irregular, Calyx 5-lobed, Calyx glabrous, Petals united, valvate, Petals white, Petals greenish yellow, Imperfect flowers present, dioecious or polygamodioecious, Stamens 9-10, Stamens completely free, separate, Stamens long exserted, Filaments glabrous, Style terete, Fruit a legume, Fruit unilocular, Fruit freely dehiscent, Fruit elongate, straight, Fruit exserted from calyx, Fruit glabrous or glabrate, Fruit 3-10 seeded, Fruit 11-many seeded, Seed with elliptical line or depression, pleurogram, Seed surface smooth, Seeds olive, brown, or black.

Desmanthus velutinus is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name velvet bundleflower. It is native to New Mexico and Texas in the United States and Coahuila in Mexico. It may also occur in Oklahoma.

This species is a perennial herb with spreading stems up to two feet long. The blue-green leaves are 3 to 4 inches long and are made up of several pairs of leaflets. The flower is white. The fruit is a straight pod up to three inches long.

This plant grows on calcareous soils, such as limestone. It does not grow in wet areas.

This species is used as forage for livestock such as sheep and goats. Wildlife such as deer graze it, and birds such as quail eat the seeds. This species can be planted to reduce erosion. It is often an ingredient in seed mixes which are used for range improvement.