Fabaceae
Eriosema

Eriosema angolense Baker f.

First published in J. Bot. 66(Suppl. 1): 122 (1928)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Nigeria to Tanzania and Zambia. It is a perennial or subshrub and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Leguminosae, B. Mackinder, R. Pasquet, R. Polhill and B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:5. 2001

Morphology General Habit
Herb or subshrub 0.6–3 m tall, erect or decumbent; stems somewhat angular or ridged, densely pale ferruginous, pubescent when young, more sparsely so with age.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 3.5–8.5(10) × 1.8–4.5(6) cm, elliptic to slightly obovate or oblong-elliptic, rounded to acuminate at the apex, broadly cuneate to narrowly rounded at the base, shortly pubescent above, more densely so beneath with ± appressed longer hairs on the nerves and shorter denser pubescence between, rather strongly glandular-punctate; stipules 6–10 × 3–5 mm, lanceolate-triangular, densely striate, densely pubescent, persistent; petiole (1)2–4.5 cm long; rhachis 2–6 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal and axillary, dense, 2–7 cm long; peduncle 0.5–2.5 cm long; pedicels 1 mm long; bracts c. 8 × 2.5 mm, lanceolate, densely hairy, soon falling so that quite young inflorescences appear devoid of bracts.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx densely spreading pubescent; tube 2 mm long; lobes subequal, 2.5 mm long, triangular-acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla yellow with standard veined brown, 8 × 6–7.5 mm, oblong-obovate, pubescent and usually gland-dotted.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods 10–13.5 × 7–8.5 mm, oblong, compressed, densely long brown pilose.
[FZ]

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]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Lake Victoria regional transition zone; grasslands, Zambezian grassland
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub
[ILDIS]

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

Morphology General Habit
Trailing herb (climbing, fide Jefford & Newbould 1283) or erect subshrubby herb or shrub, 0·3–1·5 m. tall.
Morphology Branches
Branches hairy.
Morphology Leaves
Leaflets 3, broadly elliptic or obovate to almost round, 2·5–9 cm. long, 2–6 cm. wide, rounded at the apex, rounded or narrowed to a rounded base, softly pubescent to velvety and with small yellow glands on both surfaces; venation slightly raised beneath; petiole 1·5–6 cm. long; rhachis (1–)4–7 mm. long; petiolules 1–3 mm. long; stipules lanceolate, 0·5–1·2 cm. long, 2–4 mm. wide, hairy, closely veined.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes terminal and axillary, frequently forming panicles; rhachis 2–8·5 cm. long; peduncles 2–4 cm. long; bracts ovate, 3 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, acute, those at the base of the rhachis strobilate and persistent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx with spreading hairs, glandular, ± 2–3·5 mm. long; lobes triangular, ± equalling the tube.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard yellow, veined deep red outside, broadly ovate, (4–)6–8 mm. long, 4–6 mm. wide, pubescent and glandular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods oval, 1·2–1·6 cm. long, (7–)8–10 mm. wide, covered with long ferruginous hairs.
Habitat
Imperata, Melinis grassland, Pennisetum grass clumps in damp places; 900–1170m.
Distribution
T4 U4
[FTEA]

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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

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

  • 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