Rhynchosia procurrens (Hiern) K.Schum.

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

Morphology General Habit

Robust to slender perennial climbing or trailing herb, 1–4 m long.

Morphology Stem

Stems sometimes woody and ridged, pubescent and glandular or glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets 3, 1.2–14 × 1–13 cm, oblate, obovate, rhombic or ovate, the laterals oblique, all leaflets rounded, subacute or acute, rounded to slightly subcordate at the base, sparsely pubescent to practically glabrous on both surfaces and gland-dotted beneath; venation usually raised and rather reticulate beneath; petiole 1.3–9.5 cm long; rhachis 0.5–5.5 cm long; petiolules 1–4 mm long; stipules 4–9 × 0.5–2 mm, lanceolate, nervose, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary and terminal, sometimes branched, lax to very dense, sticky and pubescent, held erect, lengthening in the fruiting stage, 5–28 × 4–5(14 when branched) cm, above a peduncle 0.5–10 cm long; flowers mostly paired; pedicels 3–11 mm long; bracts subpersistent, 4–10 × 1.5–4.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx sometimes accrescent in the fruiting stage, pubescent and densely glandular, veined; tube 3–5 mm long; lobes elliptic-oblong, ovate-lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, the lowest the longest, 8.5–17 × 2–6 mm, the laterals 5–15 × 1.5–4.5 mm, the upper pair joined only at the base or to about the middle.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard orange, usually red flushed outside and veined with purple or red, 11–16 × 7–9.5 mm, elliptic or obovate, mostly pubescent at the apex; wings deep yellow; keel pale or greenish-white with purple or pink tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods well exserted or enclosed within the persistent calyx, 10–17 × 4–6 mm, oblong, sometimes reticulated with green, glandular and pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, mottled, 3.5–5.5 × 3–4 × 2–3 mm, rounded oblong-reniform.

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

Robust to slender perennial climbing or trailing herb, probably ± 1–2·4 m. long.

Morphology Stem

Stems sometimes woody and ridged, pubescent and glandular or glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaflets 3, oblate, obovate, rhomboid or ovate, the laterals oblique, 1·2–13·2 cm. long, 1–10·6 cm. wide, rounded, subacute or acute, rounded to slightly subcordate at the base, sparsely pubescent to practically glabrous on both surfaces and gland-dotted beneath; venation usually raised and rather reticulate beneath; petiole 1·3–9·5 cm. long; rhachis 0·5–5·5 cm. long; petiolules 1–4 mm. long; stipules lanceolate, 4–9 mm. long, 0·5–2 mm. wide, nervose, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary and terminal, sometimes branched, lax to very dense, sticky and pubescent, held erect, lengthening in the fruiting stage, 5–28 cm. long above a peduncle 0·5–10 cm. long, 4–5(–14 when branched) cm. wide; flowers mostly paired; pedicels 3–11 mm. long; bracts subpersistent, ovate-lanceolate, 4–10 mm. long, 1·5–4·5 mm. wide, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx sometimes accrescent in the fruiting stage, pubescent and densely glandular, veined; tube 3–5 mm. long; lobes elliptic-oblong, ovate-lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, the lowest longest, 0·85–1·7 cm. long, 2–6 mm. wide, the laterals 0·5–1·5 cm. long, 1·5–4·5 mm. wide, the upper pair joined only at the base or to about the middle.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard orange, usually red flushed outside and veined with purple or red, elliptic or obovate, 1·1–1·6 cm. long, 7–9·5 mm. wide, mostly pubescent at the apex; wings deep yellow; keel pale or greenish-white with purple or pink tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods well exserted or enclosed within the persistent calyx, oblong, 1–1·7 cm. long, 4–6 mm. wide, sometimes reticulated with green, glandular and pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, mottled, rounded oblong -reniform, longest dimension 3·5–5·5 mm., shorter dimension 3–4 mm., 2–3 mm. thick.