Dalbergia fischeri Taub.

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree, often scandent with aid of modified ± spiny or coiled branches from the older wood, up to 4.5–10 m. tall; bark grey to brown, finely striate with prominent pale lenticels, ultimately somewhat fissured and rough.

Morphology Branches

Branchlets thinly to densely covered with short yellowish mostly crisped hairs, sometimes with stout tubercle-based glandular hairs interspersed.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 9.5–18 cm. long; stipules oblong, 5–8 mm. long, caducous; lateral leaflets 5–8 on either side of rhachis, oblong- obovate to oblong-elliptic, 2–4.5 cm. long, 1–2.5 cm. wide, rounded to slightly emarginate at apex, usually cuneate even if broadly so, glabrous or more frequently thinly pubescent on both surfaces at first and glabrescent; primary lateral nerves 8–12 on either side of midrib.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicles appearing with and after flush of new leaves, laxly branched, 4.5–10 cm. long, usually many-flowered; axes pubescent to tomentellous with yellowish mostly spreading hairs almost always interspersed with stout tubercle-based glandular hairs; bracts elliptic to obovate or suborbicular, concave, 1–3 mm. long, somewhat persistent; bracteoles at top of 1–3 mm. long pedicel similar.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3.5–4 (–4.5) mm. long, yellowish tomentellous, often with scattered glandular hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 7–8(–10) mm. long, white to cream, fragrant; standard broadly elliptic or obovate, rather abruptly contracted to claw, hairy towards base outside (sometimes only sparsely so in southern tropical Africa); wings ± as long as standard and much exceeding keel.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 9–10 in 2 phalanges, sometimes with the vexillary stamen also free.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit elliptic-oblong, slightly acuminate to the shortly rounded or pointed apex, narrowed to the 1–2.2 cm. long stipe, 7–14.5 cm. long, 2–2.7 cm. wide, becoming somewhat thickened and umbonate over the seed-cavity, glabrous, pale brown, rather obscurely and laxly venose, l–3(–4)-seeded.

Habitat

Frequently recorded from riverine forest and bushland, also in deciduous woodland (including Brachystegia associations); 200–1350 m.

Distribution

T4 T5 T6 T7 T8

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/153945787/153945789

Conservation

LC - least concern

Flora Zambesiaca Leguminosae subfamily Papillionoideae byJ.M. Lock*

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 10–15 cm long; petiolules c.2 mm long; leaflets 6–9(10) on each side of the rachis, 1–3.5 × 0.6–1.8 cm, elliptic or oblong-elliptic or subspathulate, rounded or subtruncate and often emarginate at the apex, obtuse at the base, sparsely appressed-pubescent on lower surface; lateral nerves in 4–6 pairs, scarcely visible on both surfaces; stipules 5–8 mm long, oblong, caducous. Leaves 10–15 cm long; petiolules c.2 mm long; leaflets 6–9(10) on each side of the rachis, 1–3.5 × 0.6–1.8 cm, elliptic or oblong-elliptic or subspathulate, rounded or subtruncate and often emarginate at the apex, obtuse at the base, sparsely appressed-pubescent on lower surface; lateral nerves in 4–6 pairs, scarcely visible on both surfaces; stipules 5–8 mm long, oblong, caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a terminal and occasionally also axillary panicle 4–8 cm long, fulvous-pubescent or shortly tomentose, usually sparsely interspersed with glandular-verrucose or fusiform plumose hairs; bracts and bracteoles 1.5–3 mm long, broadly ovate, puberulous, often present at anthesis. Inflorescence a terminal and occasionally also axillary panicle 4–8 cm long, fulvous-pubescent or shortly tomentose, usually sparsely interspersed with glandular-verrucose or fusiform plumose hairs; bracts and bracteoles 1.5–3 mm long, broadly ovate, puberulous, often present at anthesis.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 3–5-ovulate, pilose on the midrib and suture; style very short; stipe 3 mm long.

Distribution

Also in Kenya and Tanzania.

Ecology

In riverine forest, montane rain forest, miombowoodland and dry semi-deciduous thickets; 400–1800 m.

Conservation

Conservation notes: A widespread taxon, with no evidence of threat; Lower Risk, Least Concern.

Morphology General Habit

Robust spiny climber or liane to 12 m high reaching the canopy, or scrambling shrub with long arching branches, briefly deciduous. Robust spiny climber or liane to 12 m high reaching the canopy, or scrambling shrub with long arching branches, briefly deciduous.

Morphology Stem

Lower part of stems with clusters of sharp woody spines, the middle spines longest, up to 7.5 cm long; side branches often becoming hooked or coiling and woody, tendril-like toward the apex. Lower part of stems with clusters of sharp woody spines, the middle spines longest, up to 7.5 cm long; side branches often becoming hooked or coiling and woody, tendril-like toward the apex.

Morphology Branches

Branchlets, often fulvous-pubescent when young, glabrescent; cortex reddish, lenticellate; lenticels greyish, oblong. Branchlets, often fulvous-pubescent when young, glabrescent; cortex reddish, lenticellate; lenticels greyish, oblong.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers white or yellowish, 7–8 mm long; pedicels 1.5–4 mm long. Flowers white or yellowish, 7–8 mm long; pedicels 1.5–4 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3.5–4 mm long, pubescent, occasionally with some glandular-fusiform hairs; upper teeth shallow and rounded, the lateral ones c.1 mm long, obtuse, the lower one 2 mm long, subulate. Calyx 3.5–4 mm long, pubescent, occasionally with some glandular-fusiform hairs; upper teeth shallow and rounded, the lateral ones c.1 mm long, obtuse, the lower one 2 mm long, subulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard 5.5 × 4 mm, oblong, retuse at the apex, sparsely pubescent on the back at the basal angle, with claw 1.5–2 mm long; wings as long as the standard, with auricle obtuse and claw c.3 mm long; keel petals shorter than the wings, free, overlapping near the apex, with claw c.3.5 mm long. Standard 5.5 × 4 mm, oblong, retuse at the apex, sparsely pubescent on the back at the basal angle, with claw 1.5–2 mm long; wings as long as the standard, with auricle obtuse and claw c.3 mm long; keel petals shorter than the wings, free, overlapping near the apex, with claw c.3.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens usually in 2 bundles of 5, rarely in a single bundle. Stamens usually in 2 bundles of 5, rarely in a single bundle.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 3–5-ovulate, pilose on the midrib and suture; style very short; stipe 3 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod flat, 1–4-seeded, 4–12 × 1.8–2.5 cm, thin and stiff, thickened-umbonate, reticulate and blackish over the seeds, rounded or obtuse or acute at the apex, cuneate to narrowed at the base; stipe 6–9 mm long. Pod flat, 1–4-seeded, 4–12 × 1.8–2.5 cm, thin and stiff, thickened-umbonate, reticulate and blackish over the seeds, rounded or obtuse or acute at the apex, cuneate to narrowed at the base; stipe 6–9 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 8–10 × 5–6 mm; testa reddish, smooth. Seeds 8–10 × 5–6 mm; testa reddish, smooth.

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