Evaluation of Prairie Acacia (Acacia angustissima var. hirta), Panicled Tick-Clover (Desmodium paniculatum), and Herbaceous Mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa) in Stephenville, Texas.

There is a need to identify native herbaceous legumes for plant diversity and habitat improvement. Addition of legumes can increase forage resources for livestock and wildlife, be used for prairie and rangeland restoration, habitat amelioration, and cropland improvement. This study examined three species of native herbaceous Texas legumes near Stephenville, Texas at the Agrilife Research Center.   Species included prairie acacia (Acacia angustissima var. hirta), panicled tick-clover (Desmodium paniculatum), and herbaceous mimosa (Mimosa strigillosa).  Species were observed for seed and herbage yield, forage nutritive value, effect of forage harvest on seed yield, acid detergent lignin (ADL), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and nitrogen.  Panicled tick-clover produced the greatest seed and forage yield as well as nitrogen concentrations (1056.96 kg/ha/yr, 3375.23 kg/ha/yr, and 78.84 kg/ha/yr), while herbaceous mimosa yielded the least in these categories (0.23 kg/ha/yr, 2348.13 kg/ha/yr, and 46.91 kg/ha/yr).  Fiber concentrations were greatest in herbaceous mimosa (30.25% NDF, 41.84% ADF, and 34.34% ADL) and least in prairie acacia (17.47% NDF, 16.57% ADF, and 11.30% ADL).  Results of this study could support the inclusion of these species into many pasture and range land improvement applications.