Aeschynomene grandistipulata Harms

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub 1.2–3 m tall.

Morphology Stem

Young stems dark purplish-brown, often glaucous, glabrous or with dense to scattered tubercular-based hairs on some or all internodes, the older ones appearing jointed at the nodes due to the scars formed by the deciduous stipules, glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves rather fleshy, often glaucous, (8)14–22-foliolate; leaflets 1.2–3 × 0.6–2 cm, elliptic, oblong-elliptic or elliptic-ovate, rounded but mucronulate at the apex, obliquely rounded to cordate at the base, entire or sometimes ciliolate when young, glabrous; venation reticulate beneath; petiole and rhachis together (3)7–12 cm long, glabrous or rarely densely covered with tubercular-based hairs; petiolules distinct, c. 1 mm long; stipules large and conspicuous, 1.5–3.7 × 1.3–3 cm, ovate-elliptic, glabrous, reticulately veined, eventually deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, many-flowered, often branched, 7–15 cm long, the rhachis densely covered with tubercular-based hairs or glabrescent; peduncle 1.5–7 cm long; pedicels 3–7 mm long, all with similar hairs; bracts 7–13 × (3)4–8 mm, ovate or lanceolate, glabrous, deciduous; bracteoles 4–6 × 1.5–2.5 mm, lanceolate, glabrous, deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx glabrous, 2-lipped; lips 8–12 × (3.5)4–5.5 mm, oblong, one entire and the other obscurely 3-fid, practically entire.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow or orange-yellow with purple veins and a reddish basal patch inside, 11–13 × 7–8 mm, elliptic; wings and keel yellow or orange, the former free, the latter purplish at the tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit of 3 articles joined by very narrow necks, each article semicircular, 7–8 × 5 mm, compressed, glabrous or very sparsely ciliate, smooth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds not seen.