Tephrosia lepida Baker f.

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual or short-lived perennial 30–70 cm. tall; stems densely appressed silvery, often rather fulvous in their upper parts.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-rhachis up to 6 cm. long, including a petiole of 1–8 mm., not or but shortly prolonged beyond lateral leaflets; stipules narrowly triangular, up to 4 mm. long; leaflets 7–15, cuneate-oblong-oblanceolate, up to 35 mm. long and 9 mm. wide, ± rounded at the tip, more or less glabrous above, densely silvery and the midrib fulvous beneath; chief veins ± 8 on each side, prominent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers pink or orange in stiff open pseudoracemes and also in upper leaf-axils; bracts subulate, ± 2 mm. long, persistent; pedicels up to 3 mm. in flower and 5 mm. in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx densely tomentose with brown and silvery hairs; tube ± 2 mm. long; teeth triangular, the upper pair united to above the middle, together 3 mm. wide and 1.5 mm. long; lateral teeth 2 mm., the lowest 2–3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard densely fulvous and silvery appressed silky outside, 12–14 mm. long; keel glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Upper filament lightly attached, widened, but not callous nor bent, 1 mm. above the base; filament-sheath ± 10 mm., free parts 3–4 mm., anthers 0.7 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style curved, tapering, glabrous, penicillate, ± 6 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod spreading, gently upcurved near the tip, up to 7.5 cm. long, ± 4 mm. wide, densely silvery at the sides and black or brown on the sutures.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 9–12, smooth, longitudinal; hilum one-third along the side; aril minute, elliptical.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland

Morphology General Habit

Annual, Not climbing, Herb

Flora Zambesiaca Leguminosae subfamily Papillionoideae by R.K. Brummitt

Morphology Stem

Stems erect or occasionally decumbent, branching, 30–100 cm high, with dense, appressed or very rarely somewhat ascending, pubescent, grey or brown hairs. Stems erect or occasionally decumbent, branching, 30–100 cm high, with dense, appressed or very rarely somewhat ascending, pubescent, grey or brown hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pinnate with (2)4–7(8) pairs of leaflets; petiole (1)2–10(15) mm long, petiole and rachis together (0.5)2–5(7.8) cm long, pubescent like the stems; leaflets (0.7)1–2.5(3.5) × 0.2–0.8(0.9) cm, oblanceolate, or narrowly elliptic to sometimes linear-oblong, 3–5(6) times as long as broad, ± cuneate at the base, rounded to emarginate at the apex; upper surface glabrous, lower surface densely appressed-pubescent with silvery-grey hairs, sometimes subsericeous, usually contrasting markedly with the upper surface; stipules (1)2–4(5) × 0.2–0.5 mm, ± subulate. Leaves pinnate with (2)4–7(8) pairs of leaflets; petiole (1)2–10(15) mm long, petiole and rachis together (0.5)2–5(7.8) cm long, pubescent like the stems; leaflets (0.7)1–2.5(3.5) × 0.2–0.8(0.9) cm, oblanceolate, or narrowly elliptic to sometimes linear-oblong, 3–5(6) times as long as broad, ± cuneate at the base, rounded to emarginate at the apex; upper surface glabrous, lower surface densely appressed-pubescent with silvery-grey hairs, sometimes subsericeous, usually contrasting markedly with the upper surface; stipules (1)2–4(5) × 0.2–0.5 mm, ± subulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in terminal and axillary, usually fairly lax racemes (2.5)4–15(25) cm long and sometimes in the axils of the upper foliage leaves; bracts 1.5–3 × 0.2–0.5 mm; pedicels 1–5 mm long. Flowers in terminal and axillary, usually fairly lax racemes (2.5)4–15(25) cm long and sometimes in the axils of the upper foliage leaves; bracts 1.5–3 × 0.2–0.5 mm; pedicels 1–5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 3–5 mm long, densely appressed-pubescent with dark brown to whitish hairs; lateral teeth ½ as long as to almost equalling the tube, the upper teeth joined for ½ to almost all their length. Calyx 3–5 mm long, densely appressed-pubescent with dark brown to whitish hairs; lateral teeth ½ as long as to almost equalling the tube, the upper teeth joined for ½ to almost all their length.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals (10)12–15(16) mm long, orange, red, pink or rarely somewhat purplish. Petals (10)12–15(16) mm long, orange, red, pink or rarely somewhat purplish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Staminal tube firmly or loosely joined above. Staminal tube firmly or loosely joined above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary pubescent; style glabrous, with pencillate tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 36–76 × (2.5)3–4 mm (see subspecies), markedly two-coloured, the marginal hairs brown or blackish and the hairs on the surfaces silver or grey. Pods 36–76 × (2.5)3–4 mm (see subspecies), markedly two-coloured, the marginal hairs brown or blackish and the hairs on the surfaces silver or grey.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 8–12, 3–3.5 × 1.2–2 × c.1 mm, brown, oblong to almost fusiform, with a small aril excentrically placed on one of the longer sides. Seeds 8–12, 3–3.5 × 1.2–2 × c.1 mm, brown, oblong to almost fusiform, with a small aril excentrically placed on one of the longer sides.

Morphology General Habit

Annual or sometimes a short-lived perennial, often becoming somewhat woody towards the base. Annual or sometimes a short-lived perennial, often becoming somewhat woody towards the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary pubescent; style glabrous, with pencillate tip.