Misdirected conservation efforts take their toll on grasslands, and Desmodiums are a case in point. Desmodiums are legumes; they can fix nitrogen directly from the atmosphere into an organic form to be taken up by plants. They enhance protein content of the grass.

Of the 450 species of Desmodium forage grasses reported worldwide, 49 have been reported in the temperate, tropical and sub-tropical regions of India, making the country a