Kotschya uguenensis (Taub. ex Engl.) F.White

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect shrub (1–)1.8–4.5(–6) m. tall, stated to smell unpleasant.

Morphology Stem

Stems covered with sticky spreading bristly yellow tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 30–44-foliolate; leaflets linear-oblong, 3–8.5 mm. long, 0.7–1.8 mm. wide, acute and slightly falcate at the apex, obliquely rounded and minutely emarginate at the base, with short tubercular-based hairs on the margin and on the almost marginal main nerve beneath; petiole and rhachis together 2–4.5 cm. long; petiolules minute; stipules ovate-oblong, 5–7 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. wide, acute, pubescent and ciliate, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, dense, distinctly strobilate, with the flowers at right-angles to the axis giving an oblong appearance; rhachis 1.5–4 cm. long, densely hairy; peduncles very short or up to 7 mm. long; pedicels 7–10 mm. long; bracts ovate or broadly elliptic, 5–8 mm. long, 2.5–3 mm. wide, margined with long yellow bristly hairs; bracteoles broadly lanceolate, 5–6 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. wide, bluntly acute, pubescent and margined with long yellow bristly hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx covered with short and long golden-yellow hairs, 1.2–1.65 cm. long, the upper lip divided for ± 3 mm. into 2 obliquely acute or rounded oblong lobes, the lower lip divided to ± half-way into 3 obtuse or bluntly acute lobes, the outer 2 oblong, the inner oblong or lanceolate, often narrowest.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard pale to bright yellow, rounded-oblong, 1.2–1.3(–1.5) cm. long, 6.5–9 mm. wide, rounded or very slightly mucronate, glabrous save for very few bristles at extreme tip; wings and keel pale or greenish-yellow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 3–4-ovuled, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods of 3–4 articles, each rounded-oblong, 3 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, compressed, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds buff-brown, ellipsoid-reniform, longest dimension 2.2 mm., shorter dimension 1.5 mm., 1.2 mm. thick; hilum minute, eccentric.

Habitat

Edges of upland forest, upland evergreen bushland and moor, also recorded from Syzygium swamp forest; 1000–2010 m.

Distribution

T3 T4 T7

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Afromontane(upland) bushland and thicket., Afromontane forest

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Shrub

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect shrub (1)1.8–4.5(6) m tall, stated to smell unpleasant.

Morphology Stem

Stems covered with sticky spreading bristly yellow tubercular-based hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 30–44-foliolate; leaflets 3–8.5 × 0.7–1.8 mm, linear-oblong, acute and slightly falcate at the apex, obliquely rounded and minutely emarginate at the base, with short tubercular-based hairs on the margin and on the almost marginal nerve beneath; petiole and rhachis together 2–4.5 cm long; petiolules minute; stipules 5–7 × 1.5–2 mm, ovate-oblong, acute, pubescent and ciliate, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, dense, distinctly strobilate, with the flowers at right-angles to the axis giving an oblong appearance; peduncles very short or up to 7 mm long; rhachis 1.5–4 cm long, densely hairy; pedicels 7–10 mm long; bracts 5–8 × 2.5–3 mm, ovate or broadly elliptic, margined with long yellow bristly hairs; bracteoles 5–6 × 1.5–2 mm, broadly lanceolate, bluntly acute, pubescent and margined with long yellow bristly hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx covered with short and long golden-yellow hairs, 1.2–1.65 cm long, the upper lip divided for c. 3 mm into 2 obliquely acute or rounded oblong lobes, the lower lip divided to c. half-way into 3 obtuse or bluntly acute lobes, the outer 2 oblong, the inner oblong or lanceolate, often narrowest.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard pale to bright yellow, 12–13(15) × 6.5–9 mm, rounded-oblong, rounded or very slightly mucronate, glabrous save for very few bristles at extreme tip; wings and keel pale or greenish-yellow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 3–4-ovuled, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit of 3–4 articles, each article 3 × 2 mm, rounded-oblong, compressed, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds buff-brown, 2.2 × 1.5 × 1.2 mm, ellipsoid-reniform; hilum minute, eccentric.