Tephrosia aurantiaca Harms

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Afromontane grassland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

An erect perennial, probably from a woody rootstock; stems densely rusty tomentose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-rhachis up to 8 cm. long, including a petiole of up to 16 mm., prolonged 0–8 mm. beyond lateral leaflets; stipules rather persistent, narrowly triangular or sublinear, up to 10 mm. long; leaflets 5–9, usually 7, cuneate-obovate or cuneate-elliptic, up to 6.5 cm. long by 2.4 cm. wide, rounded or acute and apiculate at the tip, glabrous or nearly so above, densely silvery and rather rusty on the veins beneath; secondary and tertiary lateral veins forming a prominent network.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers orange in dense rusty or silvery tomentose shortly pedunculate terminal pseudoracemes; bracts linear-lanceolate, densely tomentose, up to 11 mm. long; bracteoles usually present on upper part of pedicels or at base of calyx; pedicels ± 5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx rusty tomentose; tube ± 3 mm. long; upper teeth together 6–7 mm. wide, 2–3 mm. long, united to above the middle, lateral teeth triangular-acuminate, 4–6 mm., lowest tooth 6–8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard densely golden silky outside, 15–19 mm. long and wide; keel tomentose at the suture.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Upper filament firmly attached for half its length, callously thickened and sharply bent 1 mm. above the base; filament-sheath 8–10 mm., free parts 4–5 mm., anthers 0.7 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Style glabrous, sharply upturned through 90° at the base then straight, linear, 6 mm. long, 0.6 mm. wide; stigma inturned, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod (immature) ± 5 cm. long and 7 mm. wide, densely silvery-brown tomentose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 5–6, longitudinal, probably arillate.

Habitat

Upland grassland; 1500–1800 m.; rainfall 900–1000 mm.

Distribution

T4 T7

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/19893129/20150218

Conservation

LC - least concern

Flora Zambesiaca Leguminosae subfamily Papillionoideae by R.K. Brummitt

Morphology General Habit

Perennial suffrutex with herbaceous, probably annual, erect stems 40–130 cm high, sparingly branched to more or less bushy. Perennial suffrutex with herbaceous, probably annual, erect stems 40–130 cm high, sparingly branched to more or less bushy.

Morphology Stem

Stems tomentose with brown or sometimes greyish, crisped, ± matted hairs. Stems tomentose with brown or sometimes greyish, crisped, ± matted hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pinnate with (2)3(5) pairs of leaflets; petiole (0.4)1–1.6 cm long, petiole and rachis together (1.6)4–6(8) cm long, pubescent like the stem; leaflets (2.5)4–6(7.5) × (0.5)1–2.3 cm, obovate to oblanceolate, ± cuneate at the base, obtuse to rounded or sometimes emarginate at the apex, the veins prominent and rather conspicuous on both surfaces; upper surface glabrous or very sparsely hairy, lower surface conspicuously grey pubescent especially on the veins; stipules (4)7–16 × 0.8–2(2.3) mm, linear to linear-triangular. Leaves pinnate with (2)3(5) pairs of leaflets; petiole (0.4)1–1.6 cm long, petiole and rachis together (1.6)4–6(8) cm long, pubescent like the stem; leaflets (2.5)4–6(7.5) × (0.5)1–2.3 cm, obovate to oblanceolate, ± cuneate at the base, obtuse to rounded or sometimes emarginate at the apex, the veins prominent and rather conspicuous on both surfaces; upper surface glabrous or very sparsely hairy, lower surface conspicuously grey pubescent especially on the veins; stipules (4)7–16 × 0.8–2(2.3) mm, linear to linear-triangular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary pubescent; style glabrous, reflexed above pod, with pencillate tip.

Distribution

Also in S and SW Tanzania.

Ecology

Usually in miombo woodland; 1500–1800 m.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in dense terminal and axillary racemes 2–10(15) cm long; terminal raceme usually exceeding the upper leaves; bracts 5–10 × 0.8–1.5 mm, usually persistent; pedicels 3–6 mm long; bracteoles present, linear, c.3 mm long. Flowers in dense terminal and axillary racemes 2–10(15) cm long; terminal raceme usually exceeding the upper leaves; bracts 5–10 × 0.8–1.5 mm, usually persistent; pedicels 3–6 mm long; bracteoles present, linear, c.3 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 9–13 mm long, densely pubescent with appressed or ascending, light to dark brown hairs; lateral teeth shorter than to about equalling the tube, the lower tooth usually distinctly longer than the tube, the two upper teeth connate for ½–⅔ their length to form a broad triangle. Calyx 9–13 mm long, densely pubescent with appressed or ascending, light to dark brown hairs; lateral teeth shorter than to about equalling the tube, the lower tooth usually distinctly longer than the tube, the two upper teeth connate for ½–? their length to form a broad triangle.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 16–21 mm long, orange. Petals 16–21 mm long, orange.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamen tube joined above. Stamen tube joined above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary pubescent; style glabrous, reflexed above pod, with pencillate tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods (known only immature) 50 × 6 mm, densely brown tomentose to subvillous, tending to have darker hairs along the sutures. Pods (known only immature) 50 × 6 mm, densely brown tomentose to subvillous, tending to have darker hairs along the sutures.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c.6. Seeds c.6.