Vicia paucifolia Baker

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Lake Victoria regional transition zone; grasslands, Zambezian bushland and thicket, Zambezian grassland, Afromontane(upland) bushland and thicket., Afromontane grassland, Lake Victoria regional mosaic; bushland and thicket

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Straggling climbing or suberect perennial (? always) herb 0·3–1 m. long.

Morphology Stem

Stems mostly very densely long-pilose when very young, later sparsely so or glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 2–7-foliolate; leaflets linear or oblong to narrowly elliptic, 1–4·5 cm. long, (0·5–)1–8 mm. wide, narrowed at both ends, mucronulate, sparsely loosely pilose; petiole up to 8 mm. long; rhachis terminated by a simple or branched tendril; petiolules ± 1 mm. long; stipules semi-sagittate and sometimes with an additional lateral tooth, 0·5–1·3 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences (1–)2–8-flowered, 1–3 cm. long; peduncle 0·5–6 cm. long; pedicels 2–4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx laxly pilose; tube 2–3 mm. long; lobes sub-equal, linear-lanceolate, 1–4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla blue or violet; standard sometimes greenish outside and veined purplish, obovate, 8–10 mm. long, 6 mm. wide, emarginate; keel often greenish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods narrowly oblong, flat, 5–11-seeded, 2–4 cm. long, 4–7·5 mm. wide, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds greenish-brown, densely mottled black, irregularly subglobose or ellipsoid, compressed, longer dimensions 2·5–3 mm., 1·5–2 mm. thick; aril yellowish or orange, produced into a tail.

Leguminosae, various authors. Flora Zambesiaca 3:7. 2003

Morphology General Habit

Delicate straggling climbing or suberect perennial herb up to 1 m tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems angular, densely pilose when young, becoming sparsely pilose to subglabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 2–7-foliolate, the lower pairs opposite or alternate; leaflets 12–45 × 1–5.5(7) mm, linear to narrowly elliptic, narrowed at both ends, mucronulate, sparsely pilose on both surfaces; petiole obsolete or up to 8 mm long; rhachis terminating in a simple or branched tendril or sometimes a bristle; petiolules c. 1 mm long; stipules 5–13 mm long, semi-sagittate, sometimes with 1–2 additional teeth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 1–5-flowered; peduncle 20–35 mm long; pedicels 2–4 mm long, pilose, more densely so towards the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx laxly pilose to subglabrous; tube 2–2.5 mm long; lobes subequal, 1–5 mm long, narrowly triangular-subulate to linear.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla blue, mauve or violet, 9–10 mm long; standard c. 10 × 6.5 mm, obovate, emarginate, sometimes greenish; wings as long as the standard or a little shorter; keel c. 6.5 mm long, obtuse.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style c. 1.5 mm long, densely pubescent all round towards the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod 24–30 × 4–7.5 mm, oblong, flat, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds greenish-brown and densely mottled black to black, usually (3)6–10, c. 3 × 2.5 × 2 mm, irregularly subglobose, compressed; aril yellowish, produced into a tail.