Mucuna stans Welw. ex Baker

Leguminosae, B. Mackinder, R. Pasquet, R. Polhill and B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:5. 2001

Morphology General Habit

Small erect shrub or subshrub 0.9–2.4 m tall from a stout fibrous rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems at first golden pubescent or with appressed ferruginous hairs, later glabrous.

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets rather thick, 2 × 8.5 × 1.3–4 cm, ovate or elliptic, the laterals slightly oblique, obtuse or emarginate at the apex, ± rounded at the base, finely appressed pubescent with greyish or ferruginous hairs above, more densely so beneath, the margin slightly crenate; petiole 1–6 cm long; rhachis 4–12 mm long; petiolules 3–4 mm long; stipules 4 × 1 mm, lanceolate, deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 2–6 cm long above a peduncle 1.5–2 cm long, the latter often becoming thick and woody; flowers several per node, on pedicels 0.9–1.5 cm long; bracteoles 10 × 3 mm, linear-lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx with dense appressed golden or ferruginous pubesence; tube 4–5 mm long; lobes 4–8 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard very dark purple or almost black, 2–2.5 × 1.6 cm, ovate; wings dark, 2.5–3 cm long, with appressed golden pubescence outside; keel dark or white, 2.8–3.5 cm long, the tip horny; staminal tube white, tipped pale red or purplish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods oblong, 3.5–6.8 × 0.8–1.4 cm, very densely covered with blackish or golden somewhat irritant bristles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark grey-brown, brown or red (fide Hauman), 7–8.5 × 4–7 × 3–4 mm, oblong-reniform or rounded-oblong; hilum central, 3 mm long; rim aril black (or white, fide Hauman).

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

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

Morphology General Habit

Small erect shrub or subshrub 1·2–2·4 m. tall from a stout fibrous root-stock.

Morphology Stem

Stems at first golden pubescent or with adpressed ferruginous hairs, later glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaflets rather thick, ovate or elliptic, the laterals slightly oblique, 2–8·5 cm. long, 1·3–4 cm. wide, obtuse or emarginate at the apex, ± rounded at the base, finely adpressed pubescent with greyish or ferruginous hairs above, more densely so beneath, the margin slightly crenate; petiole 1–6 cm. long; rhachis 4–12 mm. long; petiolules 3–4 mm. long; stipules deciduous, lanceolate, 4 mm. long, 1 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 2–6 cm. long above a peduncle 1·5–2 cm. long, the latter often becoming thick and woody; flowers several per node, on pedicels 0·9–1·5 cm. long; bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 1 cm. long, 3 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx with dense adpressed golden or ferruginous pubescence; tube 4–5 mm. long; lobes 4–8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard very dark purple or almost black, ovate, 2–2·5 cm. long, 1·6 cm. wide; wings dark, 2·5–3 cm. long, with adpressed golden pubescence outside; keel dark or white, 2·8–3·5 cm. long, the tip horny; staminal tube white, tipped purplish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods oblong, 3·5–6·8 cm. long, 0·8–1·4 cm. wide, very densely covered with blackish or golden somewhat irritant bristles.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark grey-brown, brown or red (fide Hauman), oblong-reniform or rounded-oblong, longest dimension 7–8·5 mm., shorter dimension 4–7 mm., thickness 3–4 mm.; hilum central, 3 mm. long; rim-aril black (or white, fide Hauman).

Figures

Fig. 82/5, p. 563 & 83, p. 570.

Habitat

Grassland, bushland, grassland with scattered trees, also old cultivations; 1110–1800 m.

Distribution

K3 K5 T1 T4 T5 T7 T8 U2 U4

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Somalia-Masai wooded grasslands., Somalia-Masai bushland and thicket, Sudanian woodland, Zambezian wooded grassland, Zambezian bushland and thicket, Lake Victoria regional mosaic; wooded grassland, Zambezian grassland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub