Argyrolobium fischeri Taub.

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

Morphology General Habit

Bushy woody herb or subshrub 30–70(200) cm high, with several simple or few-branched stems from a woody rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems usually more than 2 mm in diameter at the base, densely covered with appressed or ± spreading silvery-grey or golden-brown hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate; leaflets elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, occasionally lanceolate, subacute to round and apiculate at the apex, cuneate to obtuse at the base, sparsely to very densely covered with golden-brown appressed or ± spreading hairs above and beneath, more densely so beneath; terminal leaflet usually 3–6 (very rarely only 2.5–3) times as long as the petiole, 23–51(60) × 10–18(26) mm; petioles mostly 6–16 mm long but in the lowermost leaves sometimes up to 30(40) mm long; stipules 5–12 × 2–6 mm, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, sometimes cordate, acuminate, free or united only at the base, occasionally one of the pair bifid, persistent or very late caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal or leaf-opposed, racemose and elongate or subumbelliform, racemes 5–20-flowered rarely up to 40-flowered; peduncle 10–80(120) mm long; bracts up to 6 mm long, lanceolate, decreasing and narrowing up the rhachis.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 8–12 mm long, sericeous; upper lip divided by up to c. three quarters of the calyx length, the lobes oblong-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla bright yellow, sometimes the petals becoming orange or reddish with age; standard 10–13 × 8–10 mm, widely obovate to subcircular, undulate at the margins, densely silky pubescent outside; wings c. 11 × 2.5–3 mm, oblong and sometimes slightly curved, narrowed at base into a c. 2 mm long claw, with rows of folds between the upper veins, glabrous or sometimes with brown hairs near the apex outside; keel little shorter than the wings, curved, the petals not or only slightly auriculate, with a crest on the lateral surface towards the base and a claw c. 2.5 mm long, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 30–50 × 4.5–6 mm, narrowly oblong with the valves flat, silky pubescent, c. 12–18-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 2.5–3 mm long, oblong-ovoid, dark brown.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Afromontane forest, Afromontane(upland) bushland and thicket., Afromontane grassland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub

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

Morphology General Habit

Bushy woody herb or subshrub, up to 3–20 dm. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems rather stout at the base, densely covered with subappressed or spreading silvery or golden-brown hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaflets mostly elliptic or elliptic-oblong, occasionally lanceolate, up to 20–60 mm. long and 9–26 mm. wide, thinly to very densely covered with appressed or ± spreading hairs on both surfaces, usually more densely so beneath; petioles mostly 6–20(–40) mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules ovate-lanceolate to ovate, 5–12 mm. long, 2–6 mm. wide, acuminate, joined only at the base, but one of the pair occasionally bifurcate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes sub-umbelliform or less commonly elongate, with a 1–12 cm. long peduncle, ±6–40-flowered; lower bracts usually lanceolate, ± 4–6 mm. long, upper ones often smaller and narrower.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 10–12 mm. long, densely covered with fine subappressed or less commonly spreading hairs; upper lobes oblong-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate-orbicular to suborbicular, 10–13 mm. long, bright yellow, becoming orange or reddish flushed with age, densely silky pubescent outside; wings with rows of folds between the upper veins; keel-petals 8–10 mm. long, with a crest on the lateral surface towards the base and a claw shorter than the blade-width, generally glabrous or practically so along the margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod (20–)30–50 mm. long, 5–7 mm. wide, densely silky pubescent or less commonly spreading pilose, ± 12–18-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblong-ovoid, ± 2·5–3 mm. long, dark brown.

Figures

Fig. 138/1–10, p. 1003.

Habitat

Margins and clearings of upland rain-forest, upland evergreen bushland and grassland, stream sides; 1350–2400 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 T2 T3 T4 T5 T7 T8 U1 U2