Beggartick
Description: Perennial legumes with upright stems,
with alternate 3-leaflet leaves that are ovate to linear
in shape. Flowers are pea-like, pink or purple, but
sometimes white. Plant produces a flat pod covered
with bristled and hooked hairs that break away from distinctive
segments and stick to clothing and fur. There are
about 29 species in the south, including tick trefoil.
Wildlife value: Among the most important plant species
in a bobwhite’s diet. Most species are a highly-preferred
deer food in the summer. In some locations in the south,
wild turkey and ruffed grouse readily consume the seeds in
the fall and winter.
|
