Aeschynomene abyssinica (A.Rich.) Vatke

Leguminosae, B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:6. 2000

Morphology General Habit

Erect, branched shrub or herb 0.8–4.5 m tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems puberulous with sometimes viscid tubercular-based hairs when young, later glabrous; epidermis at length peeling in thin pieces.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves often fasciculate, 10–30(48)-foliolate; leaflets 2–12 × 0.5–3 mm, linear to linear-obovate, truncate to rounded and mucronate at the apex, obliquely rounded at the base, glabrous; main nerve ± central; petiole and rhachis together 0.6–7 cm long, somewhat pubescent; petiolules 0.3 mm long; stipules 3–9 × 1–2 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, not appendaged but ± subcordate, nervose, mostly deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary or terminal, numerous, often lax, several-flowered; rhachis 2–15 cm long, peduncle 2–10 mm long; pedicels 1–6 mm long, glabrous to sparsely puberulous; bracts 2–3 × 2–2.5 mm, 2-lobed, ovate, soon falling; bracteoles 2.5–3 × 1–1.5 mm, ovate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2-lipped; lips 3–7 × 2–4.5 mm, ovate or oblong, one emarginate, the other slightly 3-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow with brown or purple veins or pinkish, tinged purple, 5–13 × 3.5–6 mm, violin-shaped; wings pale yellow or orange; keel petals orange to very pale yellow, often veined with reddish-purple, not laciniate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit of 1–2 articles joined by a very narrow neck, each article elliptic, rounded or semicircular, 5–9 × 4–6 mm, compressed or somewhat inflated, glabrous, reticulate and later finely to quite strongly rugulose, the tubercles sometimes arranged reticulately.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds cream to reddish-brown, 3.6–5 × 2.6–3.5 × 1.8 mm, ovoid-reniform, compressed; hilum small round, eccentric.

Papilionaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

An undershrub, 2–10 ft. high

Morphology Branches

Dark brown rather viscid branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Yellow, purple-veined flowers

Ecology

Beside streams.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland, Zambezian wooded grassland, Zambezian grassland, Sudanian woodland, Sudanian grasslands, Lake Victoria regional transition zone; grasslands

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Erect branched shrub or herb 0.8–4.5 m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems puberulous with sometimes viscid tubercular-based hairs when young, later glabrous; epidermis at length peeling in thin pieces.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves often fasciculate, 10–30(–48)-foliolate; leaflets linear to linear-obovate, 0.2–1.2 cm. long, 0.5–3 mm. wide, truncate to rounded and mucronate at the apex, obliquely rounded at the base, glabrous; main nerve ± central; petiole and rhachis together 0.6–7 cm. long, somewhat pubescent; petiolules 0.3 mm. long; stipules ovate-lanceolate, 3–9 mm. long, 1–2 mm. wide, acuminate, not appendaged but ± subcordate, nervose, mostly deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary or terminal, numerous, often lax, several-flowered; rhachis 2–15 cm. long; peduncle 0.2–1 cm. long; pedicels 1–6 mm. long, glabrous to sparsely puberulous; bracts ovate, 2–3 mm. long, 2–2.5 mm. wide, 2-lobed, soon falling; bracteoles ovate, 2.5–3 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2-lipped, the lips ovate or oblong, 3–7 mm. long, 2–4.5 mm. wide, one emarginate, the other slightly 3-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow with brown or purple veins or pinkish, tinged purple, violin-shaped, 0.5–1.3 cm. long, 3.5–6 mm. wide; wings pale yellow or orange; keel-petals orange to very pale yellow, often veined with reddish-purple, not laciniate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods of 1–2 articles joined by a very narrow neck, each elliptic, rounded or semicircular, 5–9 mm. long, 4–6 mm. wide, compressed or somewhat inflated, glabrous, reticulate and later finely to quite strongly rugulose, the tubercles sometimes arranged reticulately.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds cream to reddish-brown, ovoid-reniform, compressed, longest dimension 3.6–5 mm., shorter dimension 2.6–3.5 mm., 1.8 mm. thick; hilum small, round, eccentric.

Figures

Fig. 54/6, p. 366.

Habitat

Grassland, grassland with scattered trees, scrub in rocky places, also swamp edges, Brachystegia, Uapaca woodland and bamboo-forest edges; (900–)1080–2550 m.

Distribution

K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 T1 T2 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 U1 U2 N. Nigeria