Mundulea sericea (Willd.) A.Chev.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/62520/146222617

Conservation

LC - least concern

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

Morphology General Habit

Small tree or shrub 2–7 m. tall; bark corky, smooth or fissured, often yellowish; young stems velvety.

Morphology Leaves

Stipules triangular, velvety, ± 1 mm. long; leaf-rhachis velvety, up to 10 cm. long, including a petiole of 1–2 cm.; petiolules velvety; leaflets opposite or nearly so, rather leathery, in ± 6 pairs, ovate-oblong, elliptic or lanceolate, up to 4 cm. long and 1.4 cm. wide, rounded at the apex, with minute appressed hairs on both sides or glabre-scent above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in pairs at each node of dense terminal velvety pseudoracemes; bracts triangular, persistent, ± 0.5 mm. long; pedicels ± 1–1.5 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube ± 3 mm. long; lobes deltoid-acuminate, the 3 lower ± 3 mm. long, the 2 upper united almost to the tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Blade of standard ± 18 mm. long and 15 mm. wide; claw curved, inrolled, ± 3 mm. long; wings 17 mm. long including a claw of 2 mm., the auricle as long as the claw; keel 18 mm. long including a claw of 4 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

United part of filaments 15 mm., free parts 3 mm., anthers 0.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary velvety, ± 8-ovulate; style gently curved; stigma ± 0.4 mm. in diameter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod ± horizontal, tapering at the base, pointed, up to 8 cm. long by 8 mm. wide, often constricted between the seeds, yellowish-brown, velvety, indehiscent or almost so, 4–9-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds kidney-shaped, dark green, ± 4 mm. long by 3 mm. wide.

Figures

Fig. 28.

Habitat

Open places in lowland evergreen forest and bushland, rocky hills in deciduous woodland, deciduous bushland; locally common but absent from large areas; 10–1950 m.; rainfall 300–1100 mm.

Distribution

K1 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 U1 Z S. tropical Africa to South West Africa and South Africa (Transvaal, Natal)

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland, Cultivated, Somalia-Masai bushland and thicket, Sudanian woodland, Sahel regional transition zone; bushland and thicket, Zambezian bushland and thicket

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Shrub/Tree

Vernacular

Famakivato, Fanamo, Fanamohazo, Fanamomamo, Gal-baruta, Kang-bendi-gas, Pilavaiam, Wal-baruta

Flora Zambesiaca Leguminosae subfamily Papillionoideae by B. Verdcourt

Morphology General Indumentum

Young stems velvety silky; bark yellow-brown or pale grey, or striate with ridges grey and fissures white, corky, smooth or fissured.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers lilac, purple, mauve or pink, in pairs at each node of dense terminal velvety pseudoracemes 5–14 cm long; bracts c.0.5 mm long, triangular, persistent; pedicels 0.8–1.8 cm long. Flowers lilac, purple, mauve or pink, in pairs at each node of dense terminal velvety pseudoracemes 5–14 cm long; bracts c.0.5 mm long, triangular, persistent; pedicels 0.8–1.8 cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard (1)1.8–2.2 × (1)1.5-1.6 cm, elliptic, emarginate, claw curved, c.3 mm long, inrolled; wing blades 15 × 5 mm, narrowly elliptic, the auricle and claw 2 mm long; blades of keel petals 14 × 5 mm, elliptic-oblanceolate, the auricle 1 mm long and claw 4 mm long. Standard (1)1.8–2.2 × (1)1.5-1.6 cm, elliptic, emarginate, claw curved, c.3 mm long, inrolled; wing blades 15 × 5 mm, narrowly elliptic, the auricle and claw 2 mm long; blades of keel petals 14 × 5 mm, elliptic-oblanceolate, the auricle 1 mm long and claw 4 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary linear, c.8-ovuled, velvety; style gently curved.

Morphology General Habit

Small tree or many-stemmed deciduous shrub 0.5–7.5(12) m tall. Small tree or many-stemmed deciduous shrub 0.5–7.5(12) m tall.

Morphology Stem

Young stems velvety silky; bark yellow-brown or pale grey, or striate with ridges grey and fissures white, corky, smooth or fissured.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves grey or silvery, (5)9–21(29)-foliolate; petiole 1–2 cm long, silky-velvet; rachis 5–8 cm long; leaflets subcoriaceous, ± opposite, 1–6.5(9) × 0.4–3.3 cm, ovate, ovate-elliptic or elliptic to lanceolate, narrowly rounded at the apex, rounded at the base, minutely appressed hairy on both surfaces or glabrescent on upper surface, with 8–10 pairs of lateral nerves; stipules 1–3 mm long, triangular-lanceolate, velvety; petiolules 2 mm long. Leaves grey or silvery, (5)9–21(29)-foliolate; petiole 1–2 cm long, silky-velvet; rachis 5–8 cm long; leaflets subcoriaceous, ± opposite, 1–6.5(9) × 0.4–3.3 cm, ovate, ovate-elliptic or elliptic to lanceolate, narrowly rounded at the apex, rounded at the base, minutely appressed hairy on both surfaces or glabrescent on upper surface, with 8–10 pairs of lateral nerves; stipules 1–3 mm long, triangular-lanceolate, velvety; petiolules 2 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube c.3 mm long, the 3 lower teeth c.3 mm, triangular, the upper pair of teeth almost completely united. Calyx tube c.3 mm long, the 3 lower teeth c.3 mm, triangular, the upper pair of teeth almost completely united.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamen sheath (1)1.5 cm long, the free parts 3 mm long; upper filament free; anthers 0.5 mm long. Stamen sheath (1)1.5 cm long, the free parts 3 mm long; upper filament free; anthers 0.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary linear, c.8-ovuled, velvety; style gently curved.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod yellow-brown, (4)7–9(12.5) × 0.7–1.1 cm, linear, often constricted between the seeds, velvety, (1)4–10-seeded, indehiscent or eventually dehiscent after a long period. Pod yellow-brown, (4)7–9(12.5) × 0.7–1.1 cm, linear, often constricted between the seeds, velvety, (1)4–10-seeded, indehiscent or eventually dehiscent after a long period.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark green, 4(5) × 3 mm, reniform. Seeds dark green, 4(5) × 3 mm, reniform.

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

Morphology General Habit

A shrub or small bushy tree

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Lilac or purplish flowers.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree; young stems velvety

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-rhachis up to 10 cm long including a petiole of 1–2 cm

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets opposite or almost so, c. 11–17, ovate-oblong or lanceolate, up to 4 x 1.4 cm, appressed puberulous on both sides or glabrescent above

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers bluish-purple, in pseudoracemes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pubescent, c. 6 mm long, the 3 lower lobes c. 3 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard ± 18 x 15 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod ± horizontal, pointed, up to 80 x 8 mm, often constricted between the seeds, velvety, 4–9-seeded

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds kidney-shaped, c. 4 x 3 mm.

Distribution

C2; S1–3 widespread in tropical Africa but not known elsewhere in NE tropical Africa. Sri Lanka and India.

Ecology

Altitude up to 300 m.

Use

Used as a fish poison.