Eriosema flexuosum Staner

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian grassland, Zambezian anthropic landscapes.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Completely prostrate perennial herb, sometimes mat-forming, with a single much-branched stem 20–30(50) cm long, from a fusiform or turnip-shaped woody rootstock 1–5 × 0.5–2.5 cm.

Morphology Stem

Stems slender with shorter hairs and longer yellow or brown bristly hairs, the latter appressed towards the base of the stem but spreading on the younger parts.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1-foliolate; leaflets held closely appressed to the ground, 0.7–7.5 × 0.65–5.4(6.5) cm, ovate or almost round, acute to rounded and apiculate at the apex, cordate to amplexicaul with rounded basal lobes, glabrescent to sparsely hairy above, pubescent on the nerves or more rarely densely velvety hairy and with scattered glands beneath, margins ciliate; venation raised beneath; petiole obsolete; petiolule c. 2 mm long; stipules 3–5 × 1.3–2 mm, triangular-lanceolate, hairy, veined.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes axillary, the flowering part 1–3 × 1.3 cm; peduncle (1)5–14 cm long, densely covered with short hairs, spreading stiff ferruginous hairs and glands; pedicels 0.5–1 mm long; bracts deciduous, 5 × 1 mm, linear-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3–5 mm long, densely covered with short white pubescence, stiff spreading ferruginous hairs and glands; lobes 2–4 times as long as the tube, linear-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard cream-coloured or dull yellow, often tinged or veined with reddish-brown, 5.5–7 × 3.5–4.5 mm, obovate or obovate-cuneate, sometimes emarginate, pubescent and with glands in the median area outside; wings pale yellow or cream; keel greenish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 8–10 × 5.5 mm, ovate-oblong, apiculate, covered with short pubescence, glands and long ferruginous hairs c. 1.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds black, 2.8 × 1.8 × 0.8 mm, ellipsoid; rim aril white.

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

Morphology General Habit

Completely prostrate perennial herb, with a single much branched stem 20–30(–50) cm. long, from a fusiform or turnip-shaped woody rootstock 1–5 cm. long and 0·5–2 cm. wide.

Morphology Stem

Stems slender with shorter hairs and longer yellow or brown bristly hairs, the latter adpressed towards the base of the stem but spreading on the younger parts.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1-foliolate; leaflets held closely adpressed to the ground, ovate or almost round, 0·7–7 cm. long, 0·65–5·4 cm. wide, acute to rounded and apiculate at the apex, cordate to amplexicaul with rounded basal lobes, glabrescent to sparsely hairy above, pubescent on the nerves or more rarely densely velvety hairy and with scattered glands beneath, margins ciliate; venation raised beneath; petiole obsolete; petiolule ± 2 mm. long; stipules triangular-lanceolate, 3–5 mm. long, 1·3–2 mm. wide, hairy, veined.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes axillary, the flowering part 1–3 cm. long, 1·3 cm. wide; peduncle (1–)5–14 cm. long, densely covered with short hairs, spreading stiff ferruginous hairs and glands; pedicels 0·5–1 mm. long; bracts deciduous, linear-lanceolate, 5 mm. long, 1 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx densely covered with short white pubescence, stiff spreading ferruginous hairs and glands, 3–5 mm. long; lobes linear-lanceolate, 2–4 times as long as the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard cream or dull yellow, often tinged or veined with reddish-brown, obovate or obovate-cuneate, sometimes emarginate, 5·5–7 mm. long, 3·5–4·5 mm. wide, pubescent and with glands in the median area outside; wings pale yellow or cream; keel greenish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod ovate-oblong, 8–10 mm. long, 5·5 mm. wide, apiculate, covered with short pubescence, glands and long ferruginous hairs ±1·5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds black, ellipsoid, longest dimension 2·8 mm., shorter dimension 1·8 mm., 0·8 mm. thick; rim-aril white.

Habitat

Upland grassland, bare patches in cultivations, on paths, etc.; 1400–1800 m.

Distribution

T4 T7 T8