Fabaceae
Aeschynomene

Aeschynomene multicaulis Harms

First published in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 51: 226 (1914)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania to Zambia. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Erect subshrub, 7–40 cm. tall, with many stems from a woody rootstock, flowering after burns.
Morphology Stem
Stems glabrous or sparsely pubescent with tubercular-based hairs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 8–42-foliolate; leaflets oblong or obovate-oblong, 0.35–1.7 cm. long, 1.5–5 mm. wide, obtuse to emarginate and mucronulate at the apex, oblique at the base, glabrous; main nerve ± central; venation very prominent beneath; petiole and rhachis together 1.5–11 cm. long, glabrous or slightly pubescent; petiolules 0.3 mm. long; stipules lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 0.5–2.6 cm. long, 1.5–4 mm. wide, acuminate, mostly appendaged on one side or subcordate, leafy, glabrous, persistent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences axillary or terminal, sometimes branched, few–several-flowered; rhachis 2.5–8 cm. long; peduncle 1.2–2.5 cm. long, glabrous to puberulous; pedicels 0.3–0.55(–l.2 fide Léonard) cm. long, glabrous to puberulous; bracts ovate to ovate-elliptic, 4–5 mm. long, 2–2.5 mm. wide, entire or with a few small teeth at the apex, soon falling; bracteoles ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–4 mm. long, 0.7–1 mm. wide, soon falling.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx glabrous, 2-lipped, the lips ovate, 5–7 mm. long, 3–4.5 mm. wide, one 2-lobed, the other 3-lobed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard bright yellow, violin-shaped, 0.9–1.2 cm. long, 4–5 mm. wide, emarginate; wings bright yellow; keel-petals greenish, not laciniate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods of 1–3 articles joined by very narrow necks, each semicircular, 5.5–7 mm. long, 4.5–5.5 mm. wide, glabrous, reticulate, the margins thickened.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds not seen.
Habitat
Burnt grassland or light Brachystegia woodland on stony soil, often in areas just above bamboo zone; 1350–1500 m.
Distribution
T1 T4
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Erect subshrub, 7–40 cm tall, with many stems from a woody rootstock, flowering after burns.
Morphology Stem
Stems glabrous or sparsely pubescent with tubercular-based hairs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 8–42-foliolate; leaflets 3.5–17 × 1.5–5 mm, oblong or obovate-oblong, obtuse to emarginate and mucronulate at the apex, oblique at the base, glabrous; main nerve ± central; venation very prominent beneath; petiole and rhachis together 1.5–11 cm long, glabrous or slightly pubescent; petiolules 0.3 mm long; stipules 5–26 × 1.5–4 mm, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, mostly appendaged on one side or subcordate, leaf-like, glabrous, persistent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences axillary or terminal, sometimes branched, few–several-flowered; peduncle 1.2–2.5 cm long, glabrous to puberulous; rhachis 2.5–8 cm long; pedicels 3–5.5(12 fide Léonard) mm long, glabrous to puberulous; bracts, 4–5 × 2–2.5 mm, ovate to ovate-elliptic entire or with a few small teeth at the apex, soon falling; bracteoles 2.5–4 × 0.7–1 mm, ovate-lanceolate, soon falling.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx glabrous, 2-lipped; lips 5–7 × 3–4.5 mm, ovate, one 2-lobed the other 3-lobed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard bright yellow, 9–12 × 4–5 mm, violin-shaped, emarginate; wings bright yellow; keel petals greenish, not laciniate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit of 1–3 articles joined by very narrow necks, each article semicircular, 5.5–7 × 4.5–5.5 mm, glabrous, reticulate, the margins thickened.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds not seen.
[FZ]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/19893030/20003623

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Zambezian woodland, Zambezian grassland
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub
[ILDIS]

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
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    • International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0