| any of numerous plants belonging to the genus Desmodium, of the legume family, having trifoliolate leaves and jointed pods with hooked hairs by which they adhere to objects. |
| tick trefoil n. Any of various plants of the genus Desmodium, usually having trifoliolate compound leaves, racemes of small purplish or white flowers, and jointed seedpods with easily separable, one-seeded segments. [From tick2 (from the way its pods adhere to animals).] |