Pterocarpus angolensis DC.

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

Flora Zambesiaca Leguminosae subfamily Papillionoideae byJ.M. Lock*

Morphology General Habit

Deciduous tree up to 18 m tall; crown rounded or spreading; bark greyish-brown, subquadrangular-fissured, exuding reddish sap when slashed. Deciduous tree up to 18 m tall; crown rounded or spreading; bark greyish-brown, subquadrangular-fissured, exuding reddish sap when slashed.

Morphology General Indumentum

Young parts greyish or brownish subsericeous. Young parts greyish or brownish subsericeous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 18–35 cm long; petiole 2.5–5 cm long, rachis 12–25 cm long, puberulous, glabrescent; petiolules 3–5 mm long; leaflets (4)5–8(9) on each side of the rachis, 3–7 × 2.5–4 cm, ovate to elliptic or subelliptic, obtuse to acuminate-acute at the apex, broadly obtuse or rounded or slightly cordate at the base, light green, glabrous on upper surface, paler appressed-pubescent and glabrescent beneath; lateral primary nerves in 12–18 pairs, secondary ones similar, rather close to each other; stipules 10–18 mm long, linear, caducous. Leaves 18–35 cm long; petiole 2.5–5 cm long, rachis 12–25 cm long, puberulous, glabrescent; petiolules 3–5 mm long; leaflets (4)5–8(9) on each side of the rachis, 3–7 × 2.5–4 cm, ovate to elliptic or subelliptic, obtuse to acuminate-acute at the apex, broadly obtuse or rounded or slightly cordate at the base, light green, glabrous on upper surface, paler appressed-pubescent and glabrescent beneath; lateral primary nerves in 12–18 pairs, secondary ones similar, rather close to each other; stipules 10–18 mm long, linear, caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of lateral racemes borne on new shoots before the leaves, rarely also axillary, fulvous-pubescent, glabrescent; bracts and bracteoles 4–7 mm long, narrowly lanceolate to linear, caducous. Inflorescence of lateral racemes borne on new shoots before the leaves, rarely also axillary, fulvous-pubescent, glabrescent; bracts and bracteoles 4–7 mm long, narrowly lanceolate to linear, caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 15–18 mm long; pedicels 8–18 mm long. Flowers 15–18 mm long; pedicels 8–18 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 7–10 mm long, brownish subsericeous; upper teeth c.1.5 mm long, deltoid, others narrowly triangular, acute, 1.5–3.5 mm long. Calyx 7–10 mm long, brownish subsericeous; upper teeth c.1.5 mm long, deltoid, others narrowly triangular, acute, 1.5–3.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard petal 11–15 mm in diameter, subcircular, emarginate, reflexed-patent, base narrowly decurrent into the c.3.5 mm long claw; wings 11–14 × 5.5–6 mm, broadly obovate, auriculate, claw 3.5–4.5 mm long; keel petals 10.5–12.5 × 3.5 mm, dorsally slightly overlapping and often apparently fused at the overlap, auricle obtuse, claw 5 mm long. Standard petal 11–15 mm in diameter, subcircular, emarginate, reflexed-patent, base narrowly decurrent into the c.3.5 mm long claw; wings 11–14 × 5.5–6 mm, broadly obovate, auriculate, claw 3.5–4.5 mm long; keel petals 10.5–12.5 × 3.5 mm, dorsally slightly overlapping and often apparently fused at the overlap, auricle obtuse, claw 5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 10, fused, the tube split to the base on the upper side and variously split on the opposite side to give two groups of 5 stamens, with the upper stamen fused or not with the rest. Stamens 10, fused, the tube split to the base on the upper side and variously split on the opposite side to give two groups of 5 stamens, with the upper stamen fused or not with the rest.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 3–4-ovulate, septate between the ovules, stipitate, densely appressed-pilose; style 4–5 mm long, glabrous towards the tip, stigma small.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 1(2)-seeded, circular or subcircular, 6.5–13 cm in diameter, wing thin and stiff, undulate, usually asymmetric at the base, densely setose in centre; style-remains bent down to stipe level or overlapping the stipe; pods sometimes replaced by subspherical bristly galls 10–15 mm in diameter. Pod 1(2)-seeded, circular or subcircular, 6.5–13 cm in diameter, wing thin and stiff, undulate, usually asymmetric at the base, densely setose in centre; style-remains bent down to stipe level or overlapping the stipe; pods sometimes replaced by subspherical bristly galls 10–15 mm in diameter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Germination

Seedling (from Fanshawe 1009 (K)): germination epigeal, hypocotyl short; cotyledons 2.5–3.5 × 1.4–1.8 cm. First true leaves simple; stipules 4–5 mm long, puberulous; petiole 8–12 mm long, puberulous; lamina 1.5–3.5 × 1–3.5 cm, elliptic or circular, puberulous on the margin, otherwise glabrous, lateral nerves and reticulation visible on both surfaces.

Distribution

Also in Tanzania, Congo, Angola, Namibia, South Africa (Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces) and Swaziland.

Ecology

Widespread in miombo and other deciduous woodlands, often co-dominant, and in wooded grassland, on sandy soils and granite outcrops; 0–1600 m.

Conservation

Conservation notes: A widespread taxon, sometimes exploited for timber but no evidence of scarcity or decline. Lower Risk, Least Concern.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 3–4-ovulate, septate between the ovules, stipitate, densely appressed-pilose; style 4–5 mm long, glabrous towards the tip, stigma small.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblong-subreniform. Seeds oblong-subreniform.

Seedling

Seedling (from Fanshawe 1009 (K)): germination epigeal, hypocotyl short; cotyledons 2.5–3.5 × 1.4–1.8 cm. First true leaves simple; stipules 4–5 mm long, puberulous; petiole 8–12 mm long, puberulous; lamina 1.5–3.5 × 1–3.5 cm, elliptic or circular, puberulous on the margin, otherwise glabrous, lateral nerves and reticulation visible on both surfaces.

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

Morphology General Habit

Deciduous tree, 5–20(–30) m. tall, with an open spreading crown, rarely (and not in East Africa) a shrub 3–4 m. tall; bark reticulately fissured, rough, greyish-brown to dark grey; slash exuding red sap.

Morphology Branches

Branchlets brownish or silvery-grey pubescent to floccose-tomentose, tardily glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves up to 22–35(–45) cm. long; stipules linear-lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, attenuate, (0.6–)1–2 cm. long, caducous; lateral leaflets (5–)6–9 on either side, broadly lanceolate to elliptic, elliptic-oblong or elliptic-obovate, up to 5–10 cm. long and 3.5–5.5 cm. wide, narrowed to the variously developed but generally short mucronate acumen, rounded to slightly cordate at base, usually hairy on both surfaces but generally soon glabrescent above and sometimes beneath as well, with ± 10–14 fine fairly closely spaced primary lateral nerves and a similar number of well-developed secondary lateral nerves giving a striate appearance; reticulate venation prominulous on both surfaces.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes, or (fide F.C.B.) rarely sparsely branched panicles, precocious or in the axils of young leaves, 6–12 cm. long; axes densely hairy; bracts lanceolate to elliptic-oblong, 5–8 mm. long, caducous; bracteoles near top of the 8–15 mm. long pedicel, linear to linear-lanceolate, 3–8 mm. long, caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 8–10 mm. long, densely appressed pubescent to tomentose outside but practically glabrous on the lobes inside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla golden-yellow to orange, 16–20 mm. long; blade of standard suborbicular to oblate with the sides soon folded back in open flowers, marginally crimped; wings broad, exceeding the keel and nearly as long as the standard.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit suborbicular, (8–)10–15 cm. long, with a 1–2.5 cm. long stipe and a broad undulate wing bearing the style basally or basi-laterally, pubescent, also with a mass of long rigid plumose bristles over the central thickened seed-bearing part and smaller ones peripherally, inconspicuously venose.

Figures

Fig. 17, p. 90.

Habitat

Brachystegia and other deciduous woodland, wooded grassland, not infrequently left in areas cleared for cultivation; 300–1650 m.

Distribution

widespread in southern Africa from Tanganyika and the southern Congo to Angola, South West Africa, the Transvaal and Swaziland T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Shrub/Tree

Vernacular

African Teak, Muninga, Transvaal Teak