Kotschya speciosa (Hutch.) Hepper

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

Morphology General Habit

An erect shrub 4–5 ft. high, branching from numerous stems

Morphology General Indumentum

Softly pilose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers large, bright blue.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect shrub or subshrub 0.9–1.5 m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems densely covered with bristly tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves subfasciculate on very short reduced shoots, 12–18-foliolate; leaflets oblong-elliptic, lanceolate or oblanceolate, sometimes slightly falcate, 1.3–8 mm. long, 0.5–2 mm. wide, acute at the apex, cuneate or oblique at the base, glabrous or sparsely ciliate, 3-nerved from the base, the main nerve subcentral or submarginal, never truly marginal; petiole and rhachis together 0.5–2.7 cm. long; petiolules very short; stipules lanceolate, 0.7–1 cm. long, 1.5–3 mm. wide, acuminate, scarious, pubescent, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, dense, subsessile, 1–2.5 cm. long; pedicels 2–2.5 mm. long; bracts ovate, falcate, 6–8 mm. long, 4 mm. wide, acuminate, striate, with a thickened often eccentric midrib, ciliate; bracteoles similar, narrowly ovate, 4–6 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx densely hairy, 0.9–1.3 cm. long, 2-lipped, the upper oblong, divided to ± half-way into 2 acute lobes, the lower elliptic, divided half-way into 3 ovate-lanceolate acute lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard blue with yellow mark at the base, obovate, 1.4 cm. long, 8–9(–10.5) mm. wide, glabrous; wings blue, white at the base; keel blue.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2-locular, pilose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Ripe pods and seeds not seen.

Habitat

Grassland, wooded grassland, Brachystegia woodland; 1200–1800 m.

Distribution

T5 T7

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland, Sudanian grasslands, Zambezian grassland, Zambezian wooded grassland, Sudanian woodland, Sudanian wooded grassland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Shrub

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect shrub or subshrub 0.9–1.5 m tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems densely covered with bristly tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves subfasciculate on very short reduced shoots, 12–18-foliolate; leaflets 1.3–8 × 0.5–2 mm, oblong-elliptic, lanceolate or oblanceolate, sometimes slightly falcate, acute at the apex, cuneate or oblique at the base, glabrous or sparsely ciliate, 3-nerved from the base, the main nerve subcentral or submarginal, never truly marginal; petiole and rhachis together 0.5–2.7 cm long; petiolules very short; stipules 7–10 × 1.5–3 mm, lanceolate, acuminate, scarious, pubescent, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, dense, subsessile, 10–25 mm long; pedicels 2–2.5 mm long; bracts 6–8 × 4 mm, ovate, falcate, acuminate, striate, with a thickened often eccentric midrib, ciliate; bracteoles similar, 4–6 × 2–3 mm, narrowly ovate, hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx densely hairy, 9–13 mm long, 2-lipped; the upper lip oblong, divided to c. half-way into 2 acute lobes, the lower elliptic, divided half-way into 3 ovate-lanceolate acute lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard blue with yellow mark at the base, 14 × 8–9(10.5) mm, obovate, glabrous; wings blue, white at the base; keel blue.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2-locular, pilose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Ripe fruit and seeds not seen.