Rhynchosia albissima Gand.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect subshrub or woody herb, 0·4–1·8 m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems pubescent, the younger parts usually covered with a dense grey or silvery velvety tomentum.

Morphology Leaves

Leaflets 3, usually paler beneath, elliptic, obovate, round or rhomboid, the laterals oblique, 0·7–4 cm. long, 0·6–3·7 cm. wide, rounded or subacute at the apex, rounded at the base, pubescent to velvety and usually silvery-grey on both surfaces, gland-dots only visible in the more sparsely covered leaflets; venation prominent beneath; petiole 0·8–3 cm. long; rhachis 2–8 mm. long; petiolules 1–2 mm. long; stipules ovate-lanceolate, 3 mm. long, 1·2 mm. wide, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences fairly dense, axillary or terminal; rhachis 2·5–5 cm. long; peduncle 1·5–6 cm. long; pedicels 2 mm. long; bracts deciduous, lanceolate, 3 mm. long, 0·5 mm. wide, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx silvery-grey pubescent; tube 2·5–4 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, 2–5 mm. long, the upper pair joined for ± half to three-quarters of their length.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow, veined and flushed with deep purple outside, obovate, 0·7–1·5 cm. long, 0·5–1 cm. wide, silvery pubescent and with orange glands; wings deep yellow; keel pale greenish-yellow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods oblong-falcate, (1·3–) 1·6–1·8 cm. long, 5–6·5 mm. wide, covered with tangled grey or silvery hairs and sometimes with sparse longer yellow hairs intermixed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds reddish-brown, densely mottled blackish, oblong-reniform, longest dimension 4 mm., shorter dimension 3 mm., 2·2 mm. thick.

Habitat

Grassland with scattered trees often on black cotton soil; 0–1200 m.

Distribution

K4 K7 T3 T6 U1

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transition zone; grassland., Somalia-Masai grasslands

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect subshrub or woody herb, 0.4–2 m tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems pubescent, the younger parts usually covered with a dense grey or silvery velvety tomentum.

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets 3, usually paler beneath, 0.7–4 × 0.6–3.7 cm, elliptic, obovate, round or rhombic, less often distinctly acute, the laterals oblique, rounded or subacute at the apex, rounded at the base, pubescent to velvety and usually silvery-grey on both surfaces, gland dots only visible in the more sparsely covered leaflets; venation prominent beneath; petiole 8–30 mm long; rhachis 2–8 mm long; petiolules 1–2 mm long; stipules 3 × 1.2 mm, ovate-lanceolate, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences fairly dense, axillary or terminal; rhachis 2.5–5 cm long; peduncle 1.5–6 cm long; pedicels 2 mm long; bracts deciduous, 3 × 0.5 mm, lanceolate, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx silvery-grey pubescent; tube 2.5–4 mm long; lobes 2–5 mm long, lanceolate, the upper pair joined for ± half to three-quarters of their length.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow, veined and flushed with deep purple outside, 7–10(15) × 5–10 mm, obovate, silvery pubescent and with orange glands; wings deep yellow; keel pale greenish-yellow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods (12)16–18 × 5–6.5 mm, oblong-falcate, covered with tangled grey or silvery hairs and sometimes with sparse longer yellow hairs intermixed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds reddish-brown, densely mottled blackish, 4 × 3 × 2.2 mm, oblong-reniform.

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

Morphology General Habit

Erect subshrub or woody herb, 0.3–2 m tall; stems pubescent, the young parts covered with a dense silvery tomentum

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets 3, elliptic to broadly obovate or rhomboid, 0.7–4 x 0.6–3.7 cm, rounded or subacute at the apex, velvety and usually silvery-grey on both surfaces; venation prominent beneath; petiole 0.8–3 cm long, longer than rhachis

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes fairly dense, 2–5 cm long, ± pedunculate or subsessile

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx grey pubescent; tube 2.5–4 mm long; lobes 2–5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow, veined or flushed purplish, 7–15 mm long, silvery pubescent and gland-dotted, with wart-like appendages on the inside near the base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 12–18 x 5–6.5 mm, silvery tomentose, sometimes with sparse longer yellow hairs intermixed.

Distribution

S3; Ethiopia, Sudan, N Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, NE South Africa

Ecology

Altitude c. 50 m.