Lately while out exploring the local flora I've been noticing an interesting plant. It grows to ~4 feet tall, upright with a similar habit to desmanthus illinioensis. If I had to guess I would say it is in the genus desmodium, but what is unique about the plant is that it has leaves which look -almost- exactly like desmanthus, exept the leaves don't have the central stem with the compound leaf of bundleflower, only one leaf at a time grows directly out the main trunk. Plant has small pink, pea-like flowers, similar to lezpadiza and desmodium spp.

Habitat:

Plant can occur on dry land, as well as in roadside ditches. I've even found it growing in permanently flooded areas and in floating scrub enviroment, alongside rattlebox (aka poison bean) trees, buttonbush and water hyacyths. Very common in my area. It also seems to have some salt tolerance as I've found it in intermediate marsh. Also grows in cypress / tupelo swamps. Pretty much anywhere with some sun. It doesn't seem to occur in full shade under a closed canopy.

General location:

Latitude 29, North-central U.S. Gulf Coast, zone 9a - 10a.

Here's a picture: