Cadia purpurea (G.Piccioli) Aiton

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Shrub

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

Morphology General Habit

A graceful unarmed obconical shrub 1–5 m. tall, the branches diverging from near the base and curving slightly outwards.

Morphology General Bark

Bark brown with narrow longitudinal cracks and elliptic-oblong transverse lenticels.

Morphology Twigs

Twigs brown, shortly appressed pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Stipules triangular-subulate, brown, appressed pubescent, persistent, 1–2 mm. long; leaf-rhachis green, becoming brownish with age, broadly channelled above, up to 15 cm. long, including the 1–1.5 cm. petiole; leaflets opposite, subopposite or alternate on petiolules 1 mm. long, often inrolled under dry conditions, 20–50 in number, narrowly oblong, up to 23 mm. long and 5 mm. wide, entire, emarginate, dark green and glabrous above, pale green and puberulous on the midrib and margins beneath; midrib impressed above, prominent beneath; secondary venation irregularly reticulate, translucent in life; terminal leaflet cuneate-oblong, more deeply emarginate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers on axillary short shoots 1–2 cm. long hanging singly in the axils of one or more of the 2–4 bracts, which each consist of 2 stipules ± 4 mm. long adnate for most of their length to the 6 mm. long central portion, which may or may not end in 1 or 3 leaflets 5–10 mm. long; peduncle 4–7 mm. long, separated by an ebracteate joint from the 16–20 mm. long pedicel.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Hypanthium

Hypanthium (receptacle) obconical, ± 5 mm. deep and 5 mm. wide, greenish-yellow and glandular within.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx persistent, campanulate; tube ± 10 mm. long and 15 mm. wide, with 10 main nerves and fainter reticulate secondary nerves between; teeth all alike, triangular, acute, ± 10 mm. long, valvate in the bud, purplish-green and sparsely appressed pubescent outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals narrowly cuneate-obovate, ± 30 mm. long and 14 mm. wide, caducous, glabrous, with ± 7 forking nerves diverging from the base, cream when the flower opens, later wine-red, variously imbricate; of several flowers on one plant some may have 2 exterior and 2 interior petals, others one of each; the adaxial petal is difficult to determine and rarely external.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments borne on the rim of the receptacle, glabrous, crimson, curved slightly inwards, ± 21 mm. long, 2 mm. wide at the base which is knobbed internally, 0.7 mm. wide at the apex; anthers 3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary pale green, glabrous, ± 12 mm. long, borne on a 10 mm. stipe attached near the base of the adaxial side of the hypanthium; style tapering, 5 mm. long; ovules 11–12, transverse.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod straight, or slightly curved, brown, 12–13 cm. long, 11–13 mm. wide, tapering gradually at the base to a 16 mm. long stipe, and more abruptly at the apex to a 9 mm. beak (persistent style); valves twisting on dehiscence.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds obliquely transverse, smooth, reddish-brown, elliptic, ± 8 mm. long, 5 mm. wide, 2 mm. thick, with the white persistent funicle attached near one end to an elliptic hilum 1 mm. long; lens in the middle of the same edge as the hilum.

Figures

Fig. 4.

Habitat

On slopes just outside Juniperus procera forest, locally codominant; 1500–2400 m.; rainfall perhaps 800 mm.

Distribution

K1 K3 N. & E. Ethiopia

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

Morphology General Habit

Unarmed shrub or small tree, 0.8–5 m tall

Morphology Leaves

Leaves up to 17 cm long; leaflets 20–50, usually opposite or almost so, narrowly oblong, up to 23 x 5 mm, emarginate, glabrous above, puberulous on the midrib and margins beneath; terminal leaflet cuneate-oblong

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers on axillary short shoots, hanging

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-lobes triangular, acute, c. 10 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals c. 30 mm long, cream turning wine-red, falling quickly

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod straight or slightly curved, 110–130 x 11–14 mm, acuminate, glabrous; valves twisting on dehiscence

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds reddish-brown, elliptic, c. 8 x 5 mm.

Distribution

N1–3; S1

Ecology

Altitude range 490–2100 m.

Vernacular

Miri miri, salalmac, selelmac (Somali).

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/144277213/149024455

Conservation

LC - least concern