Chamaecrista comosa E.Mey.

Leguminosae, R.K. Brummitt, A.C. Chikuni, J.M. Lock and R.M. Polhill. Flora Zambesiaca 3:2. 2007

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb with usually annual upright shoots from a woody vertical rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems terete, densely pubescent with spreading hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves paripinnate, 9.5–14 × 2–2.5 cm; stipules 8–13 × 2–4 mm, narrowly triangular, apex acuminate, base rounded to subcordate, margins and outer surface hairy; petiolar gland single or occasionally paired, 2.3–2.5 × 1–1.2 mm, elliptic, sessile; rachis channelled above, ciliate on the channel margins and hairy beneath; leaflets in 23–25 pairs, 15.5–24 × 4–6 mm, narrowly oblong, weakly falcate, asymmetric, base asymmetric, proximal side rounded, distal side rounded-cuneate; apex mucronate, margins hairy, scattered-hairy beneath; midrib excentric; 4–5 lateral nerves from base on proximal side, 2–3 on distal side.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences supra-axillary, 4–6-flowered, tending to be aggregated towards the shoot apices; pedicels 1.2–1.5 cm long in flower, 1.5–2 cm long in fruit, pubescent with spreading hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 10–12 × 4–6 mm, ovate, acuminate, pubescent with spreading hairs outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow, c.13 × 6–9 mm, broadly obovate to elliptic.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens 9, four longer than the others; a small staminode sometimes present.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary c.9 mm long, densely appressed-pubescent; style c.6 mm long, proximally appressed-pubescent, distally glabrous; stigma oblique.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods (immature) 6–6.5 × 0.5 cm, spreading pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Mature seeds not seen.

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

Perennial herb with erect, simple or not much branched stems 15–100 cm. high arising from a woody rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems from glabrous to pubescent or densely spreading-hairy.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves oblong to linear-oblong, (2.5–)4–13 cm. long, 1–3.5 cm. wide; gland at or below top of petiole, sessile, elliptic, cushionlike, depressed in middle, 1.5–4 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide, usually sunken in or flush with the surface of the petiole; rhachis eglandular, channelled but not crenate-crested along upper side; leaflets sessile, in 10–41 pairs, asymmetrically oblong or oblong-elliptic, somewhat narrowing towards apex, mostly 6–22 mm. long, 1.25–7 mm. wide, acute to almost rounded and mucronate or apiculate, glabrous or nearly so, often ± ciliolate; midrib somewhat excentric (towards anticous margin) but giving off numerous rather prominent lateral nerves towards both margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences mostly strongly supra-axillary, 1–3(–5)-flowered; pedicels 0.8–2 cm. long, subglabrous to densely spreading-hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow, 8–18 mm. long, 4–13 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 4–6.5 cm. long, 5–6 mm. wide, Seeds brown, elliptic, 3.5–4 mm. long, 2.5–2.75 mm. wide, not areolate.

Figures

Fig. 10/37, p. 57.

Distribution

Congo Republic, Tanganyika, Mozambique, Malawi and South Africa