Aeschynomene mossambicensis Verdc.

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

Morphology General Habit

Spreading ± prostrate annual or sometimes perennial herb 60–90 cm long, usually distinctly branched.

Morphology Stem

Stems glabrous or with sparse short glandular somewhat tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 8–12(16)-foliolate; leaflets 3.5–12 × 1–5 mm, obcuneate to oblanceolate-oblong, broadly rounded and mucronulate at the apex, narrowed to an unequally rounded base, glabrous, obscurely minutely punctate, midvein central save at base of leaflets; petiole and rhachis together 0.4–4.5 cm long, glabrous, produced as a seta at the apex; petiolules 0.5 mm long; stipules 10–23 × 2–3.5 mm, lanceolate, mostly obliquely appendaged on one side for 0–1 mm, closely veined, ± persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, 2.5–1.6 cm long, mostly few-flowered but with numerous groups of spaced bracts, with sparse (rarely dense) tubercular-based hairs; peduncle 3–15 mm long; pedicels 1.5–6(11 in fruit) mm long with very sparse (rarely dense) tubercular-based hairs; bracts 3-partite, persistent, each lobe 3–7 × 0.5–1.2 mm, lanceolate; bracteoles 2–3 × 0.3–0.6 mm, lanceolate, ± persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx glabrous, 2-lipped; lips 2.5–3.5 × c. 2 mm, elliptic-oblong, one emarginate, the other shortly 3-fid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard orange or yellow, (4)5.5–6.5 × 3.2 mm, ± violin-shaped, the upper part rounded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit of 1–2(4) articles joined by a narrow neck, each article three-quarters-circular, one margin straight, the other strongly curved, (3)4–5 × (2.5)4–4.5 mm, compressed, with a few scattered small tubercles and usually a median vertical row of tubercles or a marked row of spines on the faces and a very few scattered tubercular-based hairs; stipe long and slender, 7–11(15) mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds chestnut-brown, 3 × 2.2–2.8 × 1.5 mm, rounded-reniform, fairly compressed, the margin ± angled; hilum elliptic, ± central.