''Lespedeza'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of some 40

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of ...

(including nothospecies) of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of ...

s in the

pea family The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

(Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly

East Asian East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South ...

species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

to subtropical regions of eastern North America, eastern and southern

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

and

Australasia Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecolo ...

. These shrubby plants or trailing

vine A vine ( Latin ''vīnea'' "grapevine", "vineyard", from ''vīnum'' "wine") is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners thems ...

s belong to the "typical"

legume A legume () is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. When used as a dry grain, the seed is also called a pulse. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consumption, for livestock fo ...

s (

Faboideae The Faboideae are a subfamily of the flowering plant family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. An acceptable alternative name for the subfamily is Papilionoideae, or Papilionaceae when this group of plants is treated as a family. This subfamily is widely ...

), with the peas and beans, though they are part of another

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confl ...

, the

Desmodieae The tribe Desmodieae is one of the subdivisions of the plant family Fabaceae. It is composed of two subtribes, Desmodiinae and Lespedezinae. Recent phylogenetics has this tribe nested within tribe Phaseoleae. Genera The following genus, genera ...

. Therein, they are treated as

type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearing type of a nomina ...

of the smaller

subtribe Subtribe is a taxonomic category ranking which is below the rank of tribe and above genus. The standard suffix for a subtribe is -ina (in animals) or -inae (in plants). The early use of this word is from 19th century. An example of subtribe i ...

Lespedezinae, which unites the present genus and its presumed closest relatives, ''

Campylotropis ''Campylotropis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae and consists of a number of species of perennials native to Nepal, China, Korea and Taiwan. Species *'' Campylotropis chin ...

'' and ''

Kummerowia ''Kummerowia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae. These plants were formerly in genus '' Lespedeza''.Gucker, C. L. 2010''Kummerowia stipulacea'', ''K. striata''.In: Fire Effects ...

''.

Name of the plant

According to American botanist

Asa Gray Asa Gray (November 18, 1810 – January 30, 1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. His '' Darwiniana'' was considered an important explanation of how religion and science were not necessarily mutually ex ...

(1810 – 1888), the ''Lespedeza'' owes its name to governor of

East Florida East Florida ( es, Florida Oriental) was a colony of Great Britain from 1763 to 1783 and a province of Spanish Florida from 1783 to 1821. Great Britain gained control of the long-established Spanish colony of ''La Florida'' in 1763 as part of ...

Vicente Manuel de Céspedes Vicente Manuel de Céspedes (1721?-1794),Cahoon, Ben also known as Vicente Manuel de Zéspedes, was a Spanish colonel and field marshal in the Spanish Royal Army who served as governor of Santiago de Cuba (1781-1782) and the Spanish province of Ea ...

(1784-1790; who, through a letter, allowed botanist

André Michaux André Michaux, also styled Andrew Michaud, (8 March 174611 October 1802) was a French botanist and explorer. He is most noted for his study of North American flora. In addition Michaux collected specimens in England, Spain, France, and even Pe ...

to explore East Florida in search of new species of plants, where Michaux found Lespedeza), but when Céspedes wrote the letter, at the beginning of it, the name of Céspedes was changed to "Zespedez". So, when Michaux's book ''Flora Boreali-Americana'' of 1802 was printed, the name "Céspedes" to refer to the plant was written as "Lespedez", the word from which the current name of the plant was derived.Lespedeza – From Asia with a Spanish Twist!
''Despeleza'' is a synonym of ''Lespedeza'', and this name is derived from a taxonomic anagram.

Cultivation and uses

Some

are grown as

garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

s, and are used as a

forage Forage is a plant material (mainly plant leaves and stems) eaten by grazing livestock. Historically, the term ''forage'' has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also us ...

crops, notably in the southern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

, and as a means of

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former ...

enrichment and for prevention of

erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is di ...

. In some areas, certain species are invasive. ''Lespedeza'', like other

s, have

root nodule Root nodules are found on the roots of plants, primarily legumes, that form a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, capable plants form a symbiotic relationship with a host-specific strain of bacteria know ...

s that harbor bacteria capable of

nitrogen fixation Nitrogen fixation is a chemical process by which molecular nitrogen (), with a strong triple covalent bond, in the air is converted into ammonia () or related nitrogenous compounds, typically in soil or aquatic systems but also in industry. At ...

from the air into a soil-bound form that can be taken up by other plants. Growers can take advantage of this process by putting the plants in their fields to release nitrogen, so they can use less fertilizer. '' L. bicolor'' leaves and roots contain l-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine ( lespedamin), as well as related N^ω,N^ω-

dimethyltryptamine ''N'',''N''-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT or ''N'',''N''-DMT, SPL026) is a substituted tryptamine that occurs in many plants and animals, including human beings, and which is both a derivative and a structural analog of tryptamine. It is used as ...

s and their oxides, as well as some

bufotenin Bufotenin (5-HO-DMT, bufotenine) is a tryptamine derivative - more specifically, a DMT derivative - related to the neurotransmitter serotonin. It is an alkaloid found in some species of toads (especially the skin), mushrooms and plants. The na ...

Species

The

and nothospecies recognized in ''Lespedeza'' include: * ''

Lespedeza angustifolia ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' (Pursh) Elliott * ''

Lespedeza × angustifolioides ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' T.B.Lee * ''

Lespedeza bicolor ''Lespedeza bicolor'' is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names shrubby bushclover, shrub lespedeza, and bicolor lespedeza. It is native to Asia * ''

Lespedeza buergeri ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Miq. * ''

Lespedeza capitata ''Lespedeza capitata'' is a species of flowering plant in the Fabaceae, or legume family, and is known by the common name roundhead bushclover, or roundhead lespedeza.

'' Michx. (syn. ''L. frutescens'' Elliott, ''L. stuevei'' DC.) * ''

Lespedeza caraganae ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' Bunge * '' Lespedeza chinensis'' G.Don * '' Lespedeza cuneata'' (Dumont-Cours.) G. Don (syn ''Lespedeza sericea'') * ''

Lespedeza cyrtobotrya ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Miq. – leafy lespedeza * ''

Lespedeza cyrtobuergeri ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Akiyama & H.Ohba * ''

Lespedeza davidii ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' Franch. * ''

Lespedeza davurica ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' (Laxm.) Schindl. * ''

Lespedeza × divaricata ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to war ...

'' (Nakai) T.B.Lee * ''

Lespedeza dunnii ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' Schindl. * ''

Lespedeza elegans ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Cambess. * ''

Lespedeza elliptica ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Benth. * ''

Lespedeza fasciculiflora ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to war ...

'' Franch. * ''

Lespedeza floribunda ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Bunge (syn. ''L. bicolor'' Prain) * ''

Lespedeza fordii ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' Schindl. * ''

Lespedeza forrestii ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Schindl. * ''

Lespedeza gerardiana ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Maxim. * ''

Lespedeza hirta ''Lespedeza hirta'', the hairy lespedeza or hairy bush clover, is a perennial forb native to Ontario and the eastern United States. It grows at most three feet high. It has inconspicuous small white blooms in the summer and prefers average to dr ...

'' (L.) Hornem. ** ''Lespedeza hirta'' ssp. ''curtissii'' Clewell (syn. ''L. hirta'' Elliott) * ''

Lespedeza homoloba ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Nakai * ''

Lespedeza inschanica ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' (Maxim.) Schindl. – greenish juncea lespedeza * ''

Lespedeza intermedia ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to war ...

'' (S.Watson) Britton (syn. ''L. frutescens'' (L.) Britton, ''L. frutescens'' var. ''acutifructa'' Farw.) * ''

Lespedeza intermixta ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Makino (possibly a hybrid) – neonchul lespedeza * '' Lespedeza japonica'' L.H.Bailey * '' Lespedeza juncea'' (L.f.) Pers. – juncea lespedeza ** ''Lespedeza juncea'' var. ''sericea'' (Thunb.) Lace & Hauech (syn. ''L. cuneata'' (Dum.Cours.) G.Don) * ''

Lespedeza junghuhniana ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm t ...

'' Bakh.f. * ''

Lespedeza kagoshimensis ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' Hatus. * ''

Lespedeza leptostachya ''Lespedeza leptostachya'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names prairie lespedeza and prairie bush-clover. It occurs in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. The flowers are creamy-white to ...

'' A.Gray * ''

Lespedeza maximowiczii ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' R.C.Schneid. – Korean lespedeza * ''

Lespedeza melanantha ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' Nakai – black-flower lespedeza * ''

Lespedeza mucronata ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Ricker * ''

Lespedeza × patentibicolor ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' T.B.Lee * ''

Lespedeza pilosa ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' (Thunb.) Siebold & Zucc. – pilose lespedeza * ''

Lespedeza potaninii ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Vassilcz. * ''

Lespedeza procumbens ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' Michx. * ''

Lespedeza pubescens ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' Hayata * ''

Lespedeza repens Lespedeza repens, common names creeping lespedeza, creeping bush-clover, and trailing lespedeza, is a plant native to the United States. It is listed as a species of special concern in Connecticut and as rare in New York New York most commonly ...

'' (L.) W.P.C.Barton * ''

Lespedeza × simulata ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Mack. & Bush * ''

Lespedeza speciosa ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Maxim. * '' Lespedeza stuevei'' Nutt. * ''

Lespedeza texana ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Britton * ''

Lespedeza thunbergii ''Lespedeza thunbergii'' is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names Thunberg's bushclover, Thunberg's lespedeza, and shrub lespedeza. It is native to China and Japan. This species produces annual stems up t ...

'' (DC.) Nakai (syn. ''L. elliptica'' Maxim., ''L. formosa'' (Vogel) Koehne, ''L. formosa'' ssp. ''elliptica'' (Maxim.) Akiyama & H.Ohba) ** ''Lespedeza thunbergii'' var. ''var.'' thunbergii (DC.)Nakai (syn. ''L. patens'' Nakai, ''L. patens'' var. ''obtusifolia'' Nakai) ** ''Lespedeza thunbergii'' var. ''velutina'' (Nakai) H.Ohashi (syn. ''L. intermedia'' Nakai, ''L. intermedia'' var. ''angustifolia'' Nakai) * ''

Lespedeza tomentosa ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm ...

'' (Thunb.) Maxim. (syn. ''L. hirta'' Miq.) – woolly lespedeza * '' Lespedeza violacea'' (L.) Pers. * ''

Lespedeza virgata ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' (Murray) DC. – Wando lespedeza * ''

Lespedeza virginica ''Lespedeza virginica'', known as slender bush clover or slender lespedeza, is a species of flowering plant native to much of the United States, as well as Ontario, Canada, and Nuevo León, Mexico. It is a member of the bean family, Fabaceae. D ...

'' (L.) Britton (syn. ''L. angustifolia'' Darl.) * ''

Lespedeza wilfordii ''Lespedeza'' is a genus of some 40 species (including nothospecies) of flowering plants in the pea family (Fabaceae), commonly known as bush clovers or (particularly East Asian species) Japanese clovers (''hagi''). The genus is native to warm te ...

'' Ricker The identity and specific validity of '' L. schindleri'' is unclear. In addition, there are some species formerly in this genus that are now placed elsewhere, typically in the Lespedezinae, for example, in genus ''

''. These include:ILDIS (2005) * ''Lespedeza speciosa'' Schindl. = ''

Campylotropis speciosa ''Campylotropis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae and consists of a number of species of perennials native to Nepal, China, Korea and Taiwan. Species *''Campylotropis chinen ...

'' (Schindl.) Schindl. * ''Lespedeza striata'' (Thunb.) Hook. & Arn. = '' Kummerowia striata'' (Thunb.) Schindl. * ''Lespedeza tomentosa'' Maxim. = '' Campylotropis pinetorum'' (Kurz) Schindl.

Footnotes

References

* International Legume Database & Information Service (ILDIS) (2005)
Genus ''Lespedeza''
Version 10.01, November 2005. Retrieved 2011-FEB-18. * Morimoto, Hiroshi & Matsumoto, Norichika (1966). Über Alkaloide, VI. Inhaltsstoffe ''Lespedeza bicolor'' var. ''japonica'', II. Alkaloid contents of ''L. bicolor'' var. ''japonica'' II."'' J. Liebigs Ann. Chem.'' 682(1): 212–218

n German N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...

* Morimoto, Hiroshi & Oshio, Haruji (1965). Über Alkaloide, V. Inhaltsstoffe von ''Lespedeza bicolor'' var. ''japonica'', I. Über Lespedamin, ein neues Alkaloid. Alkaloid contents of ''L. bicolor'' var. ''japonica'' I. On Lespedamin, a novel alkaloid."'' J. Liebigs Ann. Chem.'' 682(1): 212–218

External links

* *
''Sericea in conservation farming''
a freely readable informational booklet scan hosted by the

University of North Texas The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public research university in Denton, Texas. It was founded as a nonsectarian, coeducational, private teachers college in 1890 and was formally adopted by the state 11 years later."Denton Normal Schoo ...

Digital Library
''Lespedeza bicolor''
at the

National Resources Conservation Service Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), formerly known as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provides technical assistance to farmers and other private landowners and ...

. Contains information, images, and a map of its North American distribution. {{Authority control Fabaceae genera