Fabaceae
Melolobium

Melolobium macrocalyx Dümmer

First published in Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1912: 227 (1912)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Africa. It is a subshrub or shrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

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
[AERP]

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

Morphology General Habit
Erect, shrubby somewhat woody plant 0.3–1 m high from a deep taproot, silvery tomentose with fine matted hairs, sometimes with longer wispy hairs interspersed, elsewhere sometimes almost glabrous and conspicuously glutinous.
Morphology Leaves Leaflets
Leaflets 5–12 × 1.5–3 mm, oblanceolate, obtuse to rounded at the apex, densely silvery appressed pubescent to tomentellous, slightly thickened, without evident veins; petiole 1–3 mm long; stipules (2)4–8 × (1)2–4 mm, semi-sagittate, attached laterally, basal part rounded.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Racemes terminal and leaf-opposed, 3–11 cm long, lax, 6–16-flowered; bracts 3–7 mm long, cordate; pedicel up to 1 mm long; bracteoles at the top of the pedicel, 3–4 mm long, lanceolate-elliptic.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 6–7 mm long, tomentellous, divided halfway into lips, the upper lobes broadly triangular and ± as long as the joined part, lower lip trifid.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard yellow, slightly exceeding the calyx, ovate-elliptic above a rather short claw, emarginate, glabrous; wings and keel subequal in length and slightly shorter than the standard; wings without sculpturing; keel obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod 8–12 × 3–3.5 mm, shortly oblong, pointed, flattened, compressed between the 2–3 seeds.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 2 mm across, rounded to slightly oblong-ellipsoid, pale brown mottled darker.
[FZ]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub
[ILDIS]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    • International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0