Argyrolobium vaginiferum Harms

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

Bushy woody herb or subshrub, up to 3–10 dm. tall.

Morphology Branches

Branches terete, sparsely to densely subappressed pubescent or pilose, sometimes with other long spreading hairs interspersed, usually glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaflets elliptic-lanceolate to broadly elliptic, up to 32–50 mm. long and 10–32 mm. wide, thinly appressed pubescent on both surfaces, often with a conspicuous vein-network on the undersurface; petiole up to 10–20 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules oblong-lanceolate, ± 5–14 mm. long, 1·5–3 mm. wide, united along the leaf-opposed margin almost to the tips, caducous, leaving a short persistent annular ridge.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes long and rather lax to short and dense, on 3–8(–15) cm. long peduncles, many-flowered; bracts filiform to lanceolate, 3–7 mm. long, often caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 9–13 mm. long, densely and finely silky pubescent; upper lobes oblong-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard obovate-orbicular to suborbicular, 10–13 mm. long, yellow, silky tomentellous outside; wings broad, much longer than the keel, without folds between the veins; keel-petals 7–9 mm. long, without a crest on the lateral surface, ciliolate along the upper margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod ± 30–35 mm. long, 5–6 mm. wide, densely silky pubescent, ± 8–12-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblong-ovoid, up to 4 mm. long, dark brown or blackish.

Habitat

Margins and streamsides of upland rain-forest; 2000–2750 m.

Distribution

T7

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Afromontane(upland) bushland and thicket.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect or scrambling subshrub 30–100 cm tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems and branches sparsely to densely subappressed greyish pubescent or pilose, sometimes with some spreading longer hairs interspersed, glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves well spaced; leaflets lanceolate to broadly elliptic, subacute at the apex, subacute to obtuse at the base, sparsely appressed pubescent above and beneath; terminal leaflets 1.5–3 times as long as the petiole, 30–50 × 10–33 mm; petiole 10–20 mm long; stipules 5–14 × 1.5–3 mm, united along the leaf-opposed margin almost to the apices, caducous but persisting as a small ring c. 1 mm high.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence leaf-opposed, pedunculate, racemose, sometimes long and lax, sometimes short and dense, many-flowered; peduncle 3–8(15) cm long; bracts 3–7 mm long, linear to filiform, often caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 9–13 mm long, sericeous outside; upper lip 2-lobed to below the middle with the lobes oblong-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla yellow; standard 10–13 × 10–13 mm, obovate to subcircular, densely pubescent to tomentellous outside; wings as long as the standard, broad, without any folds between the veins; keel shorter than the wings, 7–9 mm long, the petals without any crest, ciliolate on the upper margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 30–35 × 5–6 mm, oblong, densely silky pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 8–12 per pod, c. 4 mm long, dark brown or blackish, smooth.

Distribution

Also known from Burundi and Tanzania.

Ecology

Margins of rainforest and plantations and streamsides; c. 2285 m.