Aeschynomene schimperi Hochst. ex A.Rich.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Lake Victoria regional mosaic; freshwater swamp and aquatic vegetation, Sudanian freshwater swamp and aquatic vegetation, Somalia-Masai freshwater swamp and aquatic vegetation, Zambezian freshwater swamp and aquatic vegetation

Morphology General Habit

Annual/Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub

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

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrubby aromatic herb or small shrub, 0.6–3 m. tall, usually erect but rarely straggling.

Morphology Stem

Stems soft at the base, pubescent to hispid with yellow often viscid tubercular-based hairs, sometimes glabrous, often reddish.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sometimes sensitive, (10–)18–68-foliolate; leaflets linear to linear-oblong, 0.2–1.2 cm. long, 1–2.5 mm. wide, rounded to slightly emarginate and with a deciduous bristle at the apex, obliquely rounded at the base, subentire or very finely serrulate, margins often ciliolate, glabrous; venation often obscure; petiole and rhachis 1–8(–11.5) cm. long, glabrescent to hairy; petiolules obsolete; stipules lanceolate, straight, spurred, 0.6–2 cm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, at length deciduous, veined.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, 1 (rarely 2–4)-flowered; rhachis 5–6 cm. long; peduncle 0.5–5 cm. long; pedicels 0.7–1.5(–3 in fruit) cm. long; upper bract sterile, ovate, 3–6 mm. long, acuminate; lower bract or bracts ovate, 2–4 mm. long, sometimes acuminate, amplexicaul; bracteoles ovate-lanceolate, 3–7 mm. long, 1–2 mm. wide, acuminate, mostly ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx glabrescent to hairy, 2-lipped, the lips oblong, subequal, 0.6–1.8 cm. long, 3–8 mm. wide, one entire or rarely 2-fid, the other entire or rarely 2–3-fid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard orange-yellow to orange, sometimes streaked with crimson, rounded, 0.8–3.3 cm. long and wide, glabrous; wings and keel greenish, speckled or lined with purple, the petals of the latter bristly and laciniate along their lower margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods linear, straight or rarely curved, 3–10 cm. long excluding the 0.4–1.2 cm. stipe, (4–)6–28-jointed, glabrous to densely hairy, the margins straight; articles oblong, 3–6 mm. long, 4–7 mm. wide, compressed, smooth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown or purplish-brown, irregularly oblong, produced slightly near the small eccentric hilum, longest dimension 3.8–4.5 mm., shorter dimension 2.8–3 mm., 1.5–1.7 mm. thick.

Figures

Fig. 55.

Habitat

Swampy places, stream banks, lake sides and rock pools in grassland or wooded areas, often actually standing in water; 60–2340 m.

Distribution

widespread throughout tropical Africa from Senegal and Ethiopia to Rhodesia K1 K3 K4 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T7 T8 U1 U2

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/136661709/136661713

Conservation

LC - least concern

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrubby aromatic herb or small shrub, 0.6–3 m tall, usually erect but rarely straggling.

Morphology Stem

Stems soft at the base, pubescent to hispid with yellow often viscid tubercular-based hairs, sometimes glabrous, often reddish.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sometimes sensitive, (10)18–68-foliolate; leaflets 2–12 × 1–2.5 mm, linear to linear-oblong, rounded to slightly emarginate and with a deciduous bristle at the apex, obliquely rounded at the base, subentire or very finely serrulate, margins often ciliolate, glabrous; venation often obscure; petiole and rhachis 1–8(11.5) cm long, glabrescent to hairy; petiolules obsolete; stipules 6–20 × 2–3 mm, lanceolate, straight, spurred, at length deciduous, veined.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, 1 (rarely 2–4)-flowered; peduncle 0.5–5 cm long; rhachis 5–6 cm long; pedicels 0.7–1.5 (3 in fruit) cm long; upper bract sterile, 3–6 mm long, ovate, acuminate; lower bract or bracts 2–4 mm long, ovate, sometimes acuminate, amplexicaul; bracteoles 3–7 × 1–2 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, mostly ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx glabrescent to hairy, 2-lipped, 6–18 × 3–8 mm, oblong, subequal, one lip entire or rarely 2-fid, the other entire or rarely 2–3-fid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard orange-yellow to orange, sometimes streaked with crimson, 8–33 mm long and wide, rounded, glabrous; wings and keel greenish, speckled or lined with purple, the petals of the latter bristly and laciniate along their lower margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 3–10 cm long excluding the 4–12 mm stipe, linear, straight or rarely curved, (4)6–28-jointed, glabrous to densely hairy, the margins straight; articles 3–6 × 4–7 mm, oblong, compressed, smooth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown or purplish-brown, 3.8–4.5 × 2.8–3 × 1.5–1.7 mm, irregularly oblong, produced slightly near the small eccentric hilum.