Kotschya africana Endl.

Leguminosae, B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:6. 2000

Morphology General Habit

Erect shrub 1–4.5(6) m tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems covered with glandular bristly tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 20–42-foliolate, leaflets 2–10(12.5) × 0.5–3.5(4) mm, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, slightly falcate and acute at the apex, obliquely or minutely emarginate at the base, glabrous or pubescent and with some tubercular-based hairs on the submarginal main nerve beneath, margins denticulate-ciliate; petiole and rhachis together 2–7.6 cm long; petiolules minute; stipules 3–7.5 × 1.2–3.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acute, margined or covered with tubercular-based hairs, scarious, veined, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, dense, 1–few-flowered, not strobilate; peduncle 3–5 mm long or very short or obsolete; rhachis 2–6 cm long, mostly with bristly yellow hairs; pedicels 4–6 mm long; sterile bracts often several and conspicuous; bracts 3.5–8 × 1.3–3 mm, ovate, acute or acuminate, glabrescent or covered with bulbous-based hairs outside; bracteoles 3–7 × 1.2–2 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pubescent and bristly-hairy, 10–22 mm long, the upper lip emarginate or 2-fid for 0.5–3 mm, the lower lip deeply divided for just over half its length into 3 diverging lanceolate-acuminate lobes, the central one usually longest and narrowest.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard orange-yellow, often veined with reddish-purple, 9.5–18 × 4.5–10 mm, obovate or rounded, emarginate, glabrous; wings orange-yellow, hairy at apex; keel greenish-yellow, often veined with pale red, hairy at apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 6–9-ovulate, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 4–9-jointed; articles 3–4 × 2–3.2 mm, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ochraceous or reddish-brown, 2–2.8 × 1.8–2.2 × 1–1.3 mm, depressed half-globose-reniform; hilum minute, eccentric.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect shrub 1–4.5(–6) m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems covered with glandular bristly tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 20–42-foliolate; leaflets oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 2–10(–12.5) mm. long, 0.5–3.5(–4) mm. wide, slightly falcate and acute at the apex, obliquely or minutely emarginate at the base, glabrous or pubescent and with some tubercular-based hairs on the submarginal main nerve beneath, margins denticulate-ciliate; petiole and rhachis together 2–7.6 cm. long; petiolules minute; stipules ovate-lanceolate, 3–7.5 mm. long, 1.2–3.5 mm. wide, acute, margined or covered with tubercular-based hairs, scarious, veined, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, dense, 1–few-flowered, not strobilate; rhachis 2–6 cm. long, mostly with bristly yellow hairs; peduncle 3–5 mm. long or very short or obsolete; pedicels 4–6 mm. long; sterile bracts often several and conspicuous; bracts ovate, 3.5–8 mm. long, 1.3–3 mm. wide, acute or acuminate, glabrescent or covered with bulbous-based hairs outside; bracteoles ovate-lanceolate, 3–7 mm. long, 1.2–2 mm. wide, acute or acuminate, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pubescent and bristly-hairy, 1–2.2 cm. long, the upper lip emarginate or bifid for 0.5–3 mm., the lower lip deeply divided for half or just over half its length into 3 diverging lanceolate-acuminate lobes, the central one usually longest and narrowest.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard orange-yellow, often veined with reddish-purple, obovate or rounded, 0.95–1.9 cm. long, 0.45–1 cm. wide, emarginate, glabrous; wings orange-yellow, hairy at apex; keel greenish-yellow, often veined with pale red, hairy at apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 6–9-ovulate, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 4–9-jointed; articles 3–4 mm. long and 2–3.2 mm. wide, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ochraceous or reddish-brown, depressed half-globose-reniform, longest dimension 2–2.8 mm., shorter dimension 1.8–2.2 mm., 1–1.3 mm. thick; hilum minute, eccentric.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland, Somalia-Masai grasslands, Afromontane forest

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Shrub

Vernacular

Hivaniva, Nivaniva, Ramangorona, Soarindrana, Sorindrana

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