Aeschynomene baumii Harms

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian grassland, Zambezian woodland, Sudanian 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

Subshrub or shrub, (0.6–)1–2.4(–6) m. tall or, in fireswept situations, a woody herb or subshrub 0.2–1 m. tall with erect flowering stems from a thick woody rootstock, some leafy, others not.

Morphology Stem

Stems glabrous to covered with tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 8–20(–32)-foliolate; leaflets rounded, oblong or obovate-oblong, 0.4–2.5 cm. long, 0.2–1.3 cm. wide, rounded or retuse at the apex, oblique at the base, sometimes ciliate and often with translucent marginal glands, entire or crenulate, glabrous; petiole and rhachis together 1–6 cm. long, with indumentum like the stems; petiolules 0.8 mm. long; stipules ovate to lanceolate, 3–8 mm. long, 1–6 mm. wide, not appendaged, deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence axillary or terminal, ample, racemose or paniculate; rhachis 2.5–5.5 cm. long; peduncle 2 cm. long; pedicels 1–2(–2.7) cm. long; bracts ovate, 3–5 mm. long, 1.5–4 mm. wide, 3-toothed to 3-lobed, deciduous; bracteoles elliptic to lanceolate, 3.5–6 mm. long, 1–3 mm. wide, glabrous to pubescent, denticulate-ciliolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx glabrous to pubescent, 2-lipped, the lips oblong, often ciliolate-serrulate, 5–9 mm. long, 2–4.5 mm. wide, one 3-lobed, the other 2-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow or brownish, oblong, obovate or elliptic, 1–1.5 cm. long, 0.6–1.2 cm. wide, emarginate, glabrous; wings yellow; keel-petals yellow, longer than the standard, not laciniate but glandular setose above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods of 1, rarely 2 articles, each ± elliptic, 1.4–2.5 cm. long, 0.8–1.4 cm. wide, flat and papery, glabrous, reticulate save on the wing-like margins which are 0.5–1 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds pale brown, obliquely elliptic-reniform, very compressed, with a minute hilum in a groove and a small beak beyond it, longest dimension 6 mm., shorter dimension 4.5 mm., 1.5 mm. thick.

Habitat

In peaty soil near evergreen forest [mshito]; 1350–1710 m.

Distribution

T4

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

Morphology General Habit

Subshrub or shrub, (0.6)1–2.4(6) m tall or, in fireswept situations, a woody herb or subshrub 0.2–1 m tall, with erect flowering stems from a thick woody rootstock, some leafy, others not.

Morphology Stem

Stems glabrous to covered with tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 8–20(32)-foliolate; leaflets 4–25 × 2–13 mm, rounded, oblong or obovate-oblong, rounded or retuse at the apex, oblique at the base, sometimes ciliate and often with translucent marginal glands, entire or crenulate, glabrous; petiole and rhachis together 1–6 cm long, with indumentum like the stems; petiolules 0.8 mm long; stipules 3–8 × 1–6 mm, ovate to lanceolate, not appendaged, deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary or terminal, ample, racemose or paniculate; peduncle 2 cm long; rhachis 2.5–5.5 cm long; pedicels 1–2(2.7) cm long; bracts 3–5 × 1.5–4 mm, ovate, 3-toothed to 3-lobed, deciduous; bracteoles 3.5–6 × 1–3 mm, elliptic to lanceolate, glabrous to pubescent, denticulate-ciliolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx glabrous to pubescent, 2-lipped; lips 5–9 × 2–4.5 mm, oblong, often ciliolate-serrulate, one 3-lobed, the other 2-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow or brownish, 10–15 × 6–10 mm, oblong, obovate or elliptic, emarginate, glabrous; wings yellow; keel petals yellow, longer than the standard, not laciniate but glandular-setose above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit of 1, rarely 2 articles, 14–25 × 8–14 mm, each ± elliptic, flat and papery, glabrous, reticulate save on the wing-like margins which are 0.5–1 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds pale brown, 6 × 4.5 × 1.5 mm, obliquely elliptic-reniform, very compressed, with a minute hilum in a groove and a small beak beyond it.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident