New record of an alien plant, Desmodium paniculatum (Fabaceae), in Korea based on a morphological examination and DNA barcoding

Abstract

Desmodium paniculatum (Fabaceae), native to North America and an alien plant in Japan, was newly found in Hwaseong-si and Daejeon-si, Korea. This species is distinguished from Korean-related taxa based on certain morphological features. Specifically, it is a perennial herb, with a 4–5 jointed loment, and with the basal suture moderately incised between the articles. In the field, D. paniculatum grows around rivers and roadsides, suggesting that it is likely to have been introduced through river improvement work and road construction. On the phylogenetic tree based on an internal transcribed spacer, Korean individuals forms a clade with a Japanese individual. Here, we report a morphological description, photographs, an illustration, and the locality of D. paniculatum.