Fabaceae
Eriosema

Eriosema cordifolium Hochst. ex A.Rich.

First published in Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 227 (1848)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Nigeria to Ethiopia and Angola. It is a perennial or tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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: Sudanian grasslands, Lake Victoria regional transition zone; grasslands, Afromontane grassland
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Not climbing, Herb
[ILDIS]

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

Morphology General Habit
Trailing perennial herb, with a single branched stem 7–15(–30) cm. long, from a tuberous rootstock 3 cm. long and 1·2 cm. wide.
Morphology Stem
Stems slender with deflexed white hairs of two sizes.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 1-foliolate; leaflet ovate to broadly ovate-lanceolate, 1·5–7 cm. long, 1–2·8 cm. wide, subacute to acute at the apex, cordate, hairy, often sparsely so above, glabrescent, or pubescent on nerves beneath, with scattered yellow glands, margins ciliate; venation raised beneath; petiole obsolete; petiolule 2·5 mm. long, bristly pilose; stipules greenish, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, 4–8 mm. long, 2–2·5 mm. wide, hairy, veined.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes terminal and axillary, the flowering part 1–2·5 cm. long, 1·2 cm. wide; peduncle 0·5–1·5 cm. long, covered with a mixture of upwardly directed or spreading short and long hairs; pedicels 0·5 mm. long; bracts deciduous, linear-lanceolate, (3–)5–6 mm. long, 0·5–0·8 mm. wide, ciliate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx with short hairs, glands and spreading bristly longer yellow or white hairs, 3–4·5 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, ± twice as long as the tube.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard black or chocolate, narrowly oblong or oblong-obovate, 5–6 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, very sparsely pubescent or almost glabrous and with scattered glands; wings and keel yellow.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods oblong, 6–6·5 mm. long, 4·5 mm. wide, puberulous and with long, white or ferruginous hairs ±1·5 mm. long and scattered glands.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds not seen.
Habitat
Grassland, pathways, etc.; 1650–2060 m.
Distribution
K3 U2
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Stem pubescent, herbaceous and flexuous, from a rootstock which may become fusiform or turnip-like
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers yellow, in head-like racemes.
[FWTA]

Uses

Use
Food and Drink
[ILDIS]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • 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

  • 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