Fabaceae
Dalbergia

Dalbergia lactea Vatke

First published in Oesterr. Bot. Z. 29: 251 (1879)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical Africa. It is a scrambling shrub or tree and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Small tree or shrub, generally scandent if support available and sometimes with aid of coiled branchlets or peduncles, 3–9(–25) m. tall, ± evergreen; bark purplish-brown (at least when dried) and striate on branches, ultimately brown and rather fibrous.
Morphology Branches
Branchlets brownish tomentellous, usually soon glabrescent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves ± 13–30 cm. long; stipules oblong, pointed, 5–6 mm. long, fugaceous; lateral leaflets 6–8(–10) on either side of rhachis, oblong or oblong-elliptic, rarely slightly obovate-oblong, 4–9 cm. long, 2–5.5 cm. wide, rather abruptly rounded or emarginate at apex, very broadly cuneate, rounded or slightly cordate at base, glabrous to pubescent; primary lateral nerves ± 14–20 on either side of midrib.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Panicles on leafy branches, ± 5–15 cm. long, but flowering branches often growing out with leaves all or mostly suppressed forming compound inflorescences up to 40–50 cm. long; flowers congested on ultimate axes, many; axes with dark brown persistent felty tomentum; bracts ovate to oblong-elliptic, 1–3.5 mm. long, caducous; bracteoles near top of short 0.5–2(–3) mm. long pedicel, oblong-elliptic to obovate, ± 1.5–2 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 3.5–5 mm. long, pubescent to tomentellous with short dark brown to almost black hairs, rarely glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 6.5–9(–10) mm. long, white flushed mauve to purplish (particularly on standard inside); standard broadly ovate to suborbicular, cordate and very shortly clawed; wings as long as standard and much exceeding keel.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens (9–) 10, partially or wholly divided into 2 subequal phalanges.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit oblong, rather abruptly narrowed or rounded at the ends, with the 0.5–1.5 cm. long stipe (8–)10–15 cm. long, 3–4.5 cm. wide, scarcely thickened over the seed-cavity, chartaceous, greenish or purplish turning dull pale brown or straw-coloured, glabrous, with very laxly reticulate slightly immersed venation.
Figures
Fig. 20/3, 7, p. 97.
Habitat
Margins and clearings of rain- and swamp-forest, riverine forest and bushland, upland evergreen bushland and grassland; 540–2400 m.
Distribution
K2 K3 K4 K5 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T6 T7 T8 U1 U2 widespread in tropical Africa from Nigeria to Ethiopia and south to Mozambique and Rhodesia
[FTEA]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Zambezian forest, Zambezian bushland and thicket, Lake Victoria regional mosaic; bushland and thicket, Somalia-Masai bushland and thicket, Afromontane forest
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Climbing/Not climbing, Shrub/Tree
[ILDIS]

Papilionaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit
A scandent shrub
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers white
Ecology
In upper margins of montane forest.
[FWTA]

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
[AERP]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/199825634/199825636

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Flora Zambesiaca Leguminosae subfamily Papillionoideae byJ.M. Lock*

Morphology General Indumentum
Branchlets and leaves fulvous-puberulous when young, soon glabrous; bark reddish-brown, smooth.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a robust panicle (6)10–60 (or more) cm long, axillary and terminal, occasionally borne on the top of previous season’s stem, densely rufous- or fulvous-subvelutinous, glabrescent; bracts 1.5–2.5 mm long, bracteoles 1–1.5 mm long, caducous. Inflorescence a robust panicle (6)10–60 (or more) cm long, axillary and terminal, occasionally borne on the top of previous season’s stem, densely rufous- or fulvous-subvelutinous, glabrescent; bracts 1.5–2.5 mm long, bracteoles 1–1.5 mm long, caducous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 4–5.5 mm long, violet or purplish, congested on short cymose, often scorpioid, branchlets; pedicels 0.5–2 mm long. Flowers 4–5.5 mm long, violet or purplish, congested on short cymose, often scorpioid, branchlets; pedicels 0.5–2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 2.5–3.5 mm long, minutely fulvous-puberulous; upper teeth shallow-rounded, the lateral ones c.1 mm long, obtuse, the lower one 1.5–2 mm long, triangular-acute. Calyx 2.5–3.5 mm long, minutely fulvous-puberulous; upper teeth shallow-rounded, the lateral ones c.1 mm long, obtuse, the lower one 1.5–2 mm long, triangular-acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard 5–7 mm in diameter, subcircular, reflexed-patent, emarginate, claw 1–1.5 mm long; wings as long as the standard, auricle obtuse, claw c.1.5 mm long; keel petals shorter and broader than the wings, connate-cucullate at the apex, auricle rounded, claw 1.5 mm long. Standard 5–7 mm in diameter, subcircular, reflexed-patent, emarginate, claw 1–1.5 mm long; wings as long as the standard, auricle obtuse, claw c.1.5 mm long; keel petals shorter and broader than the wings, connate-cucullate at the apex, auricle rounded, claw 1.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens connate in 2 bundles of 5 or in a single bundle. Stamens connate in 2 bundles of 5 or in a single bundle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 1–3-ovulate, slightly puberulous on the midrib and suture or glabrous; style slender, 1 mm long; stipe 2 mm long.
Distribution
Also in Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia and westwards to Senegal.
Ecology
In Afromontane evergreen rain forest, riverine forests and high rainfall woodland and on termite mounds; up to 2000 m.
Conservation
Conservation notes: A very widespread taxon. Lower Risk: Least Concern.
Morphology General Habit
Evergreen scrambling shrub or an unarmed climber or liane to 20 m high reaching the canopy, often with side branches on older wood becoming hooked or coiled and tendril-like. Evergreen scrambling shrub or an unarmed climber or liane to 20 m high reaching the canopy, often with side branches on older wood becoming hooked or coiled and tendril-like.
Morphology Branches
Branchlets and leaves fulvous-puberulous when young, soon glabrous; bark reddish-brown, smooth.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves up to 22 cm long; petiole 1.5–4.5 cm long, rachis 6–15 cm long; petiolules 1.5–5 mm long; leaflets (3)4–6 on each side of the rachis, 2–8 × 1.5–4.5 cm, ovate to elliptic, obovate or subspathulate, rounded or emarginate or truncate or retuse at the apex, rounded or obtuse or cuneate at the base, thin and stiff, light green, concolorous (when mature); lateral nerves in 8–12 pairs, these and the reticulation slightly prominent on both surfaces; stipules 4–6 mm long, oblong-acute, early-caducous. Leaves up to 22 cm long; petiole 1.5–4.5 cm long, rachis 6–15 cm long; petiolules 1.5–5 mm long; leaflets (3)4–6 on each side of the rachis, 2–8 × 1.5–4.5 cm, ovate to elliptic, obovate or subspathulate, rounded or emarginate or truncate or retuse at the apex, rounded or obtuse or cuneate at the base, thin and stiff, light green, concolorous (when mature); lateral nerves in 8–12 pairs, these and the reticulation slightly prominent on both surfaces; stipules 4–6 mm long, oblong-acute, early-caducous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 1–3-ovulate, slightly puberulous on the midrib and suture or glabrous; style slender, 1 mm long; stipe 2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod flat, 1-seeded, 8–13 × 2.5–4 cm, oblong-elliptic, membranaceous, reticulate, apex rounded or obtuse, base obtuse or cuneate, stipe 5–8 mm long. Pod flat, 1-seeded, 8–13 × 2.5–4 cm, oblong-elliptic, membranaceous, reticulate, apex rounded or obtuse, base obtuse or cuneate, stipe 5–8 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Ripe seed not seen. Ripe seed not seen.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    • International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Wood Anatomy Microscope Slides

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0