Trifolium tembense Fresen.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Afromontane; alpine zone vegetation., Afromontane grassland, Afromontane (upland) shrubland ('moorland').

Morphology General Habit

Annual, Not climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual, glabrous or subglabrous, erect or prostrate herb, sometimes rooting at the nodes when growing in water.

Morphology Leaves

Stipules united with petiole for most of its length, the free part abruptly contracted to a fine point; petioles as short as 5 mm. in the upper leaves, where they may be wholly fused with the stipules, up to 5 cm. long in the lower leaves; leaflets elliptic or obovate, cuneate at the base, acute, rounded, truncate or slightly emar-ginate at the apex, up to 17 by 10 mm.; teeth strongly developed, with subulate tips; main nerves 8–10 on each side, at 40°–60° to the midrib.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences hemispherical, 3–16-flowered, up to 23 mm. across; peduncle up to 7 cm. long; bracts oblong, whitish, 1–2 mm. long, usually 2–3-toothed at the tip; pedicels up to 3 mm. long, ± erect in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx sparingly pilose at the margins only; tube ± 2 mm. long, broadly campanulate, strongly 11-nerved, the commissural nerves undivided to the top; teeth ± 5 mm. long, gradually narrowing from the base, which is ± 1·5 mm. wide, with broad scarious margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla purple; standard ± 9 mm. long, abruptly narrowed above the middle into an oblongtruncate down-curved tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens rt 6 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary Ovules

Ovules 3–8, usually 4–6.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod glabrous, 5–7 by ± 3 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, oval, flattened, ± 2 by 1·3 mm.

Figures

Fig. 142/8, 9, p. 1017.

Habitat

Wet places, sometimes in shallow water, in upland grassland, forest, moorland and alpine zones; 2000–3800 m. or rarely, by water, as low as 1400 m.; rainfall 1000–1100 mm. and over

Distribution

K3 K4 K5 K6 T2 T7 U2 U3