Lotus goetzei Harms

Leguminosae, various authors. Flora Zambesiaca 3:7. 2003

Morphology General Habit

Subshrub up to 50 cm tall from a woody rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems erect, ascending or prostrate and up to 1(2) m long and up to 3 mm in diameter, woody below, pilose with ± dense white spreading hairs up to 1 mm long, the epidermis dark purple when dry.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves very variable in size, only the leaf base and rhachis persisting on older branches; basal leaflets asymmetrical, up to 15 × 8 mm, rhombic with the basal angle usually 70–90º; lateral and apical leaflets up to 18 × 7 mm, the apical one a little longer than the lateral ones, cuneate-obovate; all leaflets with margins revolute, pilose on upper and lower surfaces with spreading hairs up to 1.5(3) mm long, or subglabrous but with some hairs on the midrib and margins, subcoriaceous, densely marked with purple dots on upper surface and purple dots or wavy lines beneath; rhachis 1.5–2.5(?6) mm long, usually less than half the length of the basal leaflets; stipular glands purple, minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Umbels 2–5-flowered; peduncle 0.5–4 cm long, pubescent; foliage leaf on the peduncle usually 3-foliolate; pedicels 1–2 mm long, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx reddish, with ± sparse, spreading hairs up to 1.5 mm long; hypanthium c. 1.5 mm long; calyx tube c. 2 mm above the insertion of the stamens; calyx lobes 2.5–3.5 × 1.2–1.5 mm, triangular-acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or cream, the standard streaked with red and, at least when dry, the tip of the keel reddish or purplish; standard 8.5–10 × 4–5.5 mm, slightly violin-shaped, wedge-shaped at the base, retuse; wings 8.5–9 mm long including the 3 mm long claw, the blade oblong, laterally pouched, auriculate, the auricles of both wings often adhering to each other; keel c. 10 mm long including claws 3–3.5 mm long, curved, pointed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filament sheath c. 6 mm long, often papillose near the base; free parts of the shorter filaments c. 2 mm long, those of the longer filaments c. 3 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary c. 7 mm long, glabrous, c. 26-ovulate; style 4 mm long, slightly curved upwards.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod brownish-red, up to 25 × 2.2 mm, terete.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 16 or less, c. 1.1 mm long, ovoid.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial; rootstock massive, woody; stems prostrate, ascending or bushy, up to 3 mm. in diameter, and up to 1(–2) m. in height, the epidermis a dark purple or blackish-red when dry, often obscured by dense white or slightly fulvous spreading hairs up to 1 mm. long; internodes on the side branches often very short (under 5 mm.).

Morphology Leaves

Leaves very variable in size, on old stunted shoots ± 4 mm. overall, including a rhachis of 1 mm., on young vigorous shoots up to 27 mm., including a rhachis of 6 mm.; rhachis nearly always less than half as long as basal leaflets, these usually quite different in shape from the apical leaflets, usually asymmetrically oblong with the midrib running diagonally from corner to corner, basal angle commonly 70°–80°; apical leaflets cuneate-obovate, 1·5–2·5 times as long as wide; indumentum on leaves variable, but ± spreading hairs, up to ± 1 mm. long, are usually frequent, at least on the margins and lower midrib, sometimes very sparse on the lamina.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Umbels 1–6-flowered; peduncle pubescent, 0·5–4 cm., rarely up to 8 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bract nearly always 3-foliolate, the parts ± oblong; pedicels densely pubescent, 1–1·5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx reddish, ± pubescent with spreading hairs, the tube ± 2 mm. long below the insertion of the stamens, ± 3 mm. above; teeth triangular-acuminate, ± 3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, with purplish, red or pink markings; standard emarginate, ± 9 by 5 mm.; wings ± 11 mm. long including a claw of 4 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filament-sheath ± 5 mm. long, sometimes papillose near the base, free parts 2 and 3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary ± 7 mm. long, ± 26-ovulate; style slightly curved upwards, ± 4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit up to 2·5 cm. long but often shorter, ± 16-or fewer seeded.

Figures

Fig. 146/1–12, p. 1046.

Habitat

Upland grassland, especially in scrub or at forest edges; 1500–3700 m., rarely below 2000 m.; rainfall over 1000 mm.

Distribution

K1 K3 K4 K6 T2 T7 U1 U3 also Angola (fide Torre in C.F.A. 3: 81 (1962)specimen not seen)