This semi-woody vine occurs across the lower Mississippi Valley and Gulf Coastal Plain (K), mostly growing in thin bottomland woods and thickets on subhydric to submesic soils ("moderately well-drained" of NRCS). Around the northern Mississippian Embayment, this species is rare in Ky., endangered in Ill. and unknown in Mo. (NS, K). The monotypic genus Lackeya has been established for this species, and is becoming adopted in North American floras (Fortunato et al. 1996, K, W). It has the largest leaves of any trifoliate legume in the United State, at ca. 6-14 cm long, except for the alien Pueraria, at ca. 6-20 cm (Isley 1990). Lackeya differs in its smaller calyx (4.5-6 mm versus 10-12 mm) and unlobed leaflets (versus usuallhy lobed); flowers and fruits also tend to be smaller on average (Isely 1990). Both species appear to spread with rhizomes, but Lackeya grows only to ca 3-5 m high (versus 10-20 m). The species appears to benefit greatly from fire or other disturbance, but may persist in thin shade without flowering (Perkins 1973, Hurst & Smith 1987, Wieland 2000, Hawkins et al. 2010, Iglay et al. 2010; and pers. obs,). It may be reduced by intensive browsing. Typical woody associates across its range may include Pinus taeda (often planted), Liquidambar, Quercus pagoda, Q. nigra, Q. michauxii, Q. phellos, Nyssa sylvatica, Carya cordiformis, C. tomentosa, Fraxinus profunda; Asimina, Carpinus, Smilax and Toxicodendron. Lackeya is likely to have been promoted by more frequent disturbance around settlements, fields and grasslands that were maintained by native people before DeSoto, perhapds merging with more upland "barrens" in places. In Ga.,additional associates typical of more open land include Pinus palustris, P. echinata, Crataegus spathulata and Ceanothus; grasses include Aristida palustris, Dichanthelium aciculare, Erianthus alopecurioides and Gymnopogon ambiguus (Goebel et al. 2001).