Alysicarpus ovalifolius (Schumach.) J.Léonard

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect or spreading annual herb, sometimes woody at the base, 20–60 cm tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems puberulous or pubescent, later almost glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1-foliolate; leaflet 1–10 × 0.6–3 cm, elliptic or oblong to narrowly lanceolate, acute to emarginate and mucronulate at the apex, subcordate, finely puberulous and with some hairs on the nerves beneath; reticulation obscure; petiole 2–8 mm long; petiolule 0.7–1.5 mm long; stipules 5–20 mm long, lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences terminal or leaf-opposed, sometimes paniculate, very lax, the internodes between the 3–7 pairs of flowers long; peduncle 3–4 cm long; rhachis 3–11 cm long; pedicels 1–2 mm long; primary bracts 4–5 × 1.5–2 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, deciduous; secondary bracts 1.5–2.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx puberulous or pubescent; tube 1.5–2 mm long; teeth 3–4 × 0.5 mm, narrowly triangular, acuminate, not imbricate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard orange-buff to pink or reddish-violet, rarely whitish, 4–6 × 3–4 mm; wings purplish-mauve; keel pale greenish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 18–25 mm long, well exserted from the calyx, not constricted between the articles; articles 2–8, 2.5 × 2–2.5 mm, subcylindrical, with raised reticulate ridges, puberulous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, slightly compressed, 2.5 × 1.5 × 1.2 mm, oblong-ellipsoid.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian wooded grassland, Sudanian grasslands, Sudanian wooded grassland, Somalia-Masai wooded grasslands., Somalia-Masai grasslands, Zambezian grassland

Morphology General Habit

Annual/Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

Vernacular

Alyce Clover, Alyceclover, Aswenna, Avoko, Oneleaf Clover, Pannata, Takotsifo-araika, Wire Grass

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

Erect or spreading annual herb, sometimes woody at the base, 20–60 cm. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems puberulous or pubescent, later almost glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves uni-foliolate; leaflet elliptic or oblong to narrowly lanceolate, 1–10 cm. long, 0.6–3 cm. wide, acute to emarginate and mucronulate at the apex, subcordate, finely puberulous and with some hairs on the nerves beneath; reticulation obscure; petiole 2–8 mm. long; petiolule 0.7–1.5 mm. long; stipules lanceolate, 0.5–2 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences terminal or leaf-opposed, sometimes paniculate, very lax, the internodes between the 3–7 pairs of flowers long; rhachis 3–11 cm. long; peduncle 3–4 cm. long; pedicels 1–2 mm. long; primary bracts ovate-lanceolate, 4–5 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. wide, acuminate, deciduous; secondary bracts 1.5–2.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx puberulous or pubescent; tube 1.5–2 mm. long; teeth narrowly triangular, 3–4 mm. long, 0.5 mm. wide, acuminate, not imbricate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard orange-buff to pink or reddish-violet, rarely whitish, 4–6 mm. long, 3–4 mm. wide; wings purplish-mauve; keel pale greenish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 1.8–2.5 cm. long, well exserted from the calyx, not constricted between the articles; articles 2–8, subcylindrical, 2.5–4 mm. long, 2–2.5 mm. wide, with raised reticulate ridges, puberulous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, oblong-ellipsoid, slightly compressed, longest dimension 2.5 mm., shorter dimension 1.5 mm., 1.2 mm. thick.

Figures

Fig. 71/B, p. 492.

Habitat

Grassland with scattered trees, also in grass in very rocky places; 0–900 m.

Distribution

widespread in tropical Africa, much commoner than the last in W. Africa, also in Madagascar and Asia K7 T6 T8 Z