Summary ⁸

Desmanthus illinoensis is commonly known as Illinois bundleflower, prairie-mimosa, and prickleweed. In some regions, it can often be found growing on the sides of roads and requires full sun and ample moisture during its short growing season.

Botanical Information ⁹

The bundleflower is white and has a unique round seed pod. It has compound leaves and spreads readily by seed.

Ecological Information ⁹

Illinois bundleflower grows in North America on grass. It is a common plant in many areas of the south-central and Midwestern US, and is found in the Bosque as well. Raccoons and other animals enjoy eating the bundleflower.

Ethnobotanical Information ¹⁰

The bundleflower is edible and medicinal. The seeds can be cooked and eaten. They are high in protein but lacking in flavor. The bundleflower was used to treat trachoma by the Pauite people who would place five seeds in the eye overnight and then wash out in the morning. A decoction of the leaves was used by the Pawnee tribes as a wash for itchy skin. (Note: Such reports often lack important contextual information and relevant traditional ecological knowledge.)

References ¹¹

plants.usda.gov
illinoisbundleflower.info
https://pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Desmanthus+illinoensis#:~:text=Edible%20Uses&text=Seed%20%2D%20cooked.,a%20worthwhile%20crop%5BK%5D.
http://naeb.brit.org/uses/species/1276/

About the Author ¹²

Student author(s)*: Marissa and William (age 13) from South Valley Academy

*The entries in this field guide have been edited by Yerba Mansa Project staff to ensure that they contain quality, fact-checked content and standardized formatting. https://yerbamansaproject.org/

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/1348657954/
2. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/2697706336/
3. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/1347762583/
4. (c) Nikol Lohr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/sugarpants/4902572466/
5. (c) Nikol Lohr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/sugarpants/4902673634/
6. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/1348657954/
7. (c) Jerry Oldenettel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jroldenettel/1348659780/
8. Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmanthus_illinoensis
9. Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) kristen_himm, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
10. Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
11. Adapted by Hannah from a work by (c) caseynm, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
12. Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) caseynm, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• World Flora Online
• 日本のレッドデータ検索システム
• 植物和名−学名インデックス YList

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