Fabaceae
Tephrosia

Tephrosia lortii Baker f.

First published in Legum. Trop. Africa: 186 (1926)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Ethiopia to Tanzania. It grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Perennial straggling herb up to 70 cm long
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-rhachis up to 4(–6) cm long, including a petiole of up to 1(–2) cm
Morphology Leaves Leaflets
Leaflets 3–7, cuneate-elliptic or obovate, up to 25(–45) x 12(–23) mm, pubescent on both sides
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers purple in short lax terminal pseudoracemes and in the upper leaf-axils
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx pubescent, 4–5 mm long with triangular-acuminate 2–3 mm long lobes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard grey pubescent outside, 9–11 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style glabrous, 3–4 mm long, twisted, penicillate at the tip
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod upcurved near the tip, 4–5 x 0.4–0.45 cm, shortly and stiffly pubescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 9–12, rhombic, c. 2.5–3 mm long.
[FSOM]

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

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb with straggling white or fulvous pubescent branches up to 70 cm. long.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-rhachis up to 4(–6) cm. long, including a petiole of up to l(–2) cm., prolonged 2–5(–9) mm. beyond lateral leaflets; stipules narrowly triangular, up to 6(–9) mm. long; leaflets 3–7, cuneate-elliptic or obovate, up to 25(–45) mm. long and 12(–23) mm. wide, the terminal larger than the laterals and the distal than the basal, rounded and apiculate at the tip, pubescent on both surfaces; main lateral nerves 6–9 on each side, reddish and rather prominent beneath.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in short open terminal pseudoracemes and in the upper leaf-axils; bracts narrowly triangular, persistent, 2–3 mm. long; pedicels 5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx pubescent; tube 2 mm. long; teeth triangular-acuminate, 2–3 mm. long, the upper pair free almost to the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard grey pubescent outside, ± 10 mm. long; keel glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Upper filament lightly attached, dilated and bent, but not callous, 1 mm. above the base; filament-sheath ± 7 mm., free parts 2–3 mm., anthers 0.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style glabrous, tapering, twisted, penicillate, 3–4 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods shortly and stiffly pubescent, upturned towards the tip, but style-base bent sharply downwards, 4–5 cm. long, 4–4.5 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 9–12, rugose, mottled, rhombic, sides ± 2 mm. long, diagonal 3 mm.; hilum subcentral, hardly arillate.
Habitat
Acacia, Commiphora bushland; 600–1200 m.; rainfall 500–700 mm.
Distribution
K4 K6 K7 T2
[FTEA]

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
[AERP]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Somalia-Masai bushland and thicket
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Not climbing, Herb
[ILDIS]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    • International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0