Craibia brevicaudata (Vatke) Dunn

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian bushland and thicket, Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transition zone; forest, Zambezian forest

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Shrub/Tree

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or tree 2–20 m. tall; twigs sparsely or, less often, densely brown pilose at first, later glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Stipules orbicular or ovate, caducous, pilose; leaf-rhachis up to 10 cm. long, glabrous or very sparsely pilose; petiolules 2–5 mm. long; leaflets ovate-elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, usually less than three times as long as wide, up to 11 cm. by 3.5 cm., glabrous or with a few hairs on the midrib beneath; principal nerves 5–8 on each side.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Raceme densely brown pubescent; bracts orbicular or oval, caducous, up to 4 mm. long; pedicels up to 10 mm. long; bracteoles orbicular or oval-elliptic, up to 3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx brown pubescent; tube ± 4 mm., lobes ± 2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or, less often, pink, greenish or mauve, 12–19 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filament-sheath 8–12 mm., free parts 4–6 mm., anthers 0.5–0.7 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 10–11 mm. long, pilose below and on the sutures, glabrous, or nearly so at the sides, 3–4-ovulate; style 4–5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod up to 9 by 3 cm.; seeds 2–4.

Distribution

SW. Congo K4 K7 T3 T5 T6 T7 T8

Flora Zambesiaca Leguminosae subfamily Papillionoideae by B. Verdcourt

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or tree 2–21 m tall*, with a spreading rounded crown and pale grey smooth flaking bark; bole up to 1.2 m diameter, sometimes buttressed. Shrub or tree 2–21 m tall, with a spreading rounded crown and pale grey smooth flaking bark; bole up to 1.2 m diameter, sometimes buttressed.

Morphology Branches

Branchlets pale or dark, sparsely to less often densely brown pilose but becoming glabrescent. Branchlets pale or dark, sparsely to less often densely brown pilose but becoming glabrescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filament sheath 8–12 mm long, the free parts of filaments 4–6 mm long; anthers 0.5–0.7 mm long. Filament sheath 8–12 mm long, the free parts of filaments 4–6 mm long; anthers 0.5–0.7 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 1–1.1 cm long, pilose at base and on margins but sides ± glabrous, 3–4-ovuled; style 4–5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods creamy-grey, 6.5–10 × 1.8–5 cm, oblanceolate, flattened, 2–4-seeded. Pods creamy-grey, 6.5–10 × 1.8–5 cm, oblanceolate, flattened, 2–4-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds red-brown, 14–20 × 12–15 × 4–5 mm, ± round or elliptic in outline, discoid. Seeds red-brown, 14–20 × 12–15 × 4–5 mm, ± round or elliptic in outline, discoid.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 3–7-foliolate; petiole 1–4 cm long; rachis up to 10 cm long, glabrous or very slightly pilose; leaflets subcoriaceous, (4)5–13.5 × 2–3.5(6.5) cm, ovate, ovate-elliptic or oblong-elliptic, acuminate at the apex, rounded to broadly cuneate at the base, glabrous or with a few hairs on the midrib; 5–8 lateral nerves on each side; stipels round or ovate, soon falling; petiolules 2–5 mm long. Leaves 3–7-foliolate; petiole 1–4 cm long; rachis up to 10 cm long, glabrous or very slightly pilose; leaflets subcoriaceous, (4)5–13.5 × 2–3.5(6.5) cm, ovate, ovate-elliptic or oblong-elliptic, acuminate at the apex, rounded to broadly cuneate at the base, glabrous or with a few hairs on the midrib; 5–8 lateral nerves on each side; stipels round or ovate, soon falling; petiolules 2–5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences showy, sweet-scented, 4–15 cm long, densely brown velvety pubescent; bracts up to 4 mm long, round or ovate, deciduous; pedicels up to 1(1.3) cm long; bracteoles up to 3 mm long, round or ovate-elliptic. Inflorescences showy, sweet-scented, 4–15 cm long, densely brown velvety pubescent; bracts up to 4 mm long, round or ovate, deciduous; pedicels up to 1(1.3) cm long; bracteoles up to 3 mm long, round or ovate-elliptic.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx densely brown velvety, tube c.4 mm long, lobes c.2 mm long. Calyx densely brown velvety, tube c.4 mm long, lobes c.2 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, very pale blue or pink or sometimes greenish or mauve; standard oblong-elliptic, 1.5 × 1 cm, with claw 2 mm long; wing blades 1.5–3.5 mm, with claw 3 mm long; blades of keel petals 15 × 4 mm, with claw 4.5 mm long. Corolla white, very pale blue or pink or sometimes greenish or mauve; standard oblong-elliptic, 1.5 × 1 cm, with claw 2 mm long; wing blades 1.5–3.5 mm, with claw 3 mm long; blades of keel petals 15 × 4 mm, with claw 4.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 1–1.1 cm long, pilose at base and on margins but sides ± glabrous, 3–4-ovuled; style 4–5 mm long.

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

Morphology General Habit

Tree

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets 3–7 (in Flora area 3–5), ovate to oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, up to 11 x 4 cm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in racemes which may be branched near the base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pubescent with brown and sometimes also white hairs; tube 3–4 mm long; lobes c. 2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, 12–19 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary pubescent below, particularly along sutures

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 5.5–10.5 x 1.8–3 cm (in Flora area)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 1–4, up to 12.5 x 8 x 2.5 mm.

Distribution

S3 E and S tropical Africa.

Ecology

Altitude range c. 50 m.