Eriosema nutans Schinz

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb 0·2–1·5 m. tall; rootstock thick.

Morphology Branches

Branches erect or decumbent, densely covered with ± spreading white to ferruginous hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaflets 3, ovate, elliptic or lanceolate, the laterals often oblique, 1·2–9 cm. long, 0·7–3·8 cm. wide, emarginate to acute at the apex, cuneate to rarely cordate at the base, shortly pilose above, pilose on the raised venation beneath with rest of leaflet-surface glabrescent but with small orange glands; young leaves shaggy, ferruginous pilose; petiole 2–9(–12) mm. long; rhachis 0·3–1·7 cm. long; petiolules 1–4 mm. long; stipules linear-lanceolate, 0·6–1·5 cm. long, 1·1–2(–2) mm. wide, hairy outside, closely veined.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes with a rhachis 3·9–5(–13) cm. long; peduncle 1·5–10 cm. long, ferruginous hairy; pedicels ± 1·5 mm. long, recurved.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx reddish, shortly pilose and glandular, 4–5 mm. long; lobes triangular or lanceolate, acuminate, slightly shorter to slightly longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard white or usually yellow, often with reddish-brown flushing or veining, oblong, 5–8 mm. long, 1·5–4 mm. wide, the appendages situated low down and extending across the auricles; wings bright yellow; keel greenish-yellow or green or corolla described as yellow and white.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods ovate-oblong, ± 0·8–1 cm. long, 5–8 mm. wide, covered with long hairs, short hairs and glands.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds grey, brown or black, often mottled with purple spots, shiny, narrowly oblong, longest dimension 3–4·2 mm., shorter dimension 1·5–3 mm., 0·6–1·7 mm. thick; rim-aril cream or brown.

Habitat

Grassland, grassland with Acacia, etc., forest edges, seasonal swamps, also a weed; 1200–2400 m.

Distribution

K1 K3 K4 T1 T2 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 U1 U2 U3

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb 0.2–1.8 m tall; rootstock thick.

Morphology Branches

Branches erect or decumbent, densely covered with ± spreading white to ferruginous hairs.

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets 3, 1.2–9.5 × 0.7–3.8 cm, ovate, elliptic or lanceolate, the laterals often oblique, emarginate to acute at the apex, cuneate to rarely cordate at the base, shortly pilose above, pilose on the raised venation beneath with rest of leaflet surface glabrescent but with small orange glands; young leaves shaggy, ferruginous pilose; petiole 2–9(12) mm long; rhachis 3–17 mm long; petiolules 1–4 mm long; stipules 6–15 × 1–1.2(2) mm, linear-lanceolate, hairy outside, closely veined.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes with a rhachis 3–9.5(13) cm long; peduncle 1.5–10 cm long, ferruginous hairy; pedicels c. 1.5 mm long, recurved.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx reddish, shortly pilose and glandular, 4–5 mm long; lobes triangular or lanceolate, acuminate, slightly shorter to slightly longer than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard white or usually yellow, often with reddish-brown flushing or veining, 5–8 × 1.5–4 mm, oblong, the appendages situated low down and extending across the auricles; wings bright yellow; keel greenish-yellow or green or corolla described as yellow and white.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods c. 8–10 × 5–8 mm, ovate-oblong, covered with long hairs, short hairs and glands.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds grey, brown or black, often mottled with purple spots, shiny, 3–4.2 × 1.5–3 × 0.6–1.7 mm, narrowly oblong; rim aril cream-coloured or brown.

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