Argyrolobium aequinoctiale Welw. ex Baker

Leguminosae, various authors. Flora Zambesiaca 3:7. 2003

Morphology General Habit

Suffrutex up to 50 cm high, with a few stems from a small woody rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems simple or branching only toward the apex; indumentum yellowish-brown to greyish-brown, of subappressed spreading hairs c. 2.5 mm long.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate; leaflets obovate-oblanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acute to obtuse and apiculate at the apex, cuneate at the base, tawny to yellowish-grey hairy on both surfaces; terminal leaflet 9–17 times as long as the petiole, 30–75 × 10–30 mm; lateral leaflets smaller; petioles mostly 3–10(17) mm long, sometimes a little longer in the lower leaves; stipules 7–18(30) × (1.2)2–8(13) mm, lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong or ovate, acuminate, joined at the base or free, erect, ± caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal, sometimes leaf-opposed, usually contracted and subumbelliform, 6–12-flowered or more; peduncle 5–45 mm long; bracts up to 17 mm long, entire or 3-partite; bracteoles up to 10 × 2 mm, linear-lanceolate or lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 11–14 mm long, sericeous; upper lip divided nearly to the base, the lobes lanceolate; lower lip with teeth 5–6 mm long, narrowly triangular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla bright yellow; standard 10–13 × 10–13 mm, obovate, subcircular or ± rhomboidal, sericeous outside; wings 10–11 × 4.5 mm, elliptic to obovate-oblong, with rows of folds between the upper veins and with some brown hairs near apex outside; keel little shorter than the wings, curved, the petals half-ovate, obtuse, appendiculate and with a crest on the lateral surface towards the base, claw 2.5–3 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod up to 28 × 6 mm, narrowly oblong, flat, silky pubescent, c. 5–9-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 2–2.5 mm long, elliptic or subreniform to slightly quadrangular in outline, light brown.