Argyrolobium rupestre (E.Mey.) Walp.

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

Morphology General Habit

Low diffuse perennial, with numerous prostrate, straggling and ascending or shortly erect stems, from a woody taproot or spreading rhizomes.

Morphology Stem

Stems slender, mostly less than 1(–2) mm. in diameter at the base, up to 1–4 dm. long, sparsely to densely pilose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaflets elliptic-lanceolate to elliptic or obovate-elliptic, up to 10–34 mm. long and 5–14 mm. wide, sparsely pilose to silky tomentose on both surfaces; petiole up to 4–12 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules lanceolate to ovate, 4–8 mm. long, (1·5–)2–4 mm. wide, acuminate, joined only at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes subumbelliform on 1–6(–9) cm. long peduncles, ± 1–4-flowered; bracts filiform to lanceolate, ±3–5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5–8 mm. long, sparsely pilose to silky tomentose; upper lobes oblong-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard suborbicular to oblate, 9–13 mm. long, bright yellow, sparsely to rather 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, glabrous along the margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 18–28(–40) mm. long, 3·5–5 mm. wide, sparsely pilose to densely pubescent, ± 8–14-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblong-ovoid, ± 1·5–2 mm. long, dark brown.

Distribution

highlands of eastern Africa south to the Cape Province of South Africa K3 K4 K6 T2 T7 U1 U2

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Perennial with numerous slender, prostrate, straggling and ascending or shortly erect stems, sparsely to densely pilose

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets elliptic-lanceolate to elliptic or obovate-elliptic, up to 10–34 x 5–14 mm, sparsely pilose to silky tomentose at least beneath; petiole up to 4–20 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes subumbelliform on 1–6(–9) cm long peduncles, c. 1–4-flowered

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers often cleistogamous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5–8 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 9–13 mm long, bright yellow

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 18–30(–45) x 3.5–5 mm, sparsely pilose to densely pubescent, c. 8–14-seeded.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Afromontane(upland) bushland and thicket., Afromontane (upland) shrubland ('moorland')., Afromontane grassland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Low diffuse perennial with a woody taproot.

Morphology Stem

Stems numerous, prostrate, ascending or shortly erect, slender, up to 40 cm long and mostly less than 1 mm in diameter, up to 2.5 mm in diameter at the base, subappressed or spreading golden-brown or greyish hairy.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves usually well spaced; leaflets elliptic-lanceolate to obovate-elliptic, sparsely pilose to silky tomentose above and beneath, the terminal leaflets 12–30 × 5–13 mm, mostly 2.5–5 times as long as the petiole; petiole 3–10(15) mm long; stipules 4–10(12) × 1.5–5 mm, lanceolate to ovate, acuminate, free or joined only at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence leaf-opposed, pedunculate, racemose or subumbelliform, 1–5(6)-flowered; peduncle 0.8–8(10) cm long; bracts 2–8 mm long, lanceolate to linear.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5–9 mm long, pilose to silky tomentose outside; the upper lip 2-lobed to near the base with the lobes lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla yellow, often becoming brownish-orange; standard 9–13 × 8–12 mm, widely obovate to suborbicular, sparsely to densely silky pubescent or tomentose outside; wings 8–10 × 2.5–5 mm, oblong to obovate-oblong, with rows of folds between the upper veins, usually with some brown hairs near the apex; keel a little shorter than the wings, curved, the petals with a claw shorter than the blade width, blade semi-orbicular with a crest near base, glabrous or with some bristles along the lower margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 25–40 × 3.5–5.5 mm, oblong, flat, spreading or subappressed pubescent, c. 8–15-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 1.5–2 × 1.1–1.5 mm, compressed, oblong-ovoid to oblong-cordate, dark brown.