Vigna gracilis (Guill. & Perr.) Hook.f.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Guineo-Congolian grasslands, Sudanian grasslands, Guinea-Congolia/Sudania regional transition zone; grasslands.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Climbing, Herb

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

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/170438/1313888

Conservation

LC - least concern

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Guinea-Congolia/Sudania regional transition zone; forest., Lake Victoria regional mosaic; forest., Guineo-Congolian forest.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Climbing, Herb

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial climber, 1·2–2·4 m. long.

Morphology Stem

Stems covered with long yellow hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaflets 3, ovate, (4–)5–12 cm. long, (2·5–)4–10 cm. wide, acuminate, rounded to cordate at the base, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces, margins ciliate; venation slightly raised; petiole 1·2–11 cm. long; rhachis 0·8–2·4 cm. long; petiolules 2–5 mm. long; stipules ovate-lanceolate, 3–6 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, prolonged below the point of insertion and bilobed at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, shorter than the leaves; rhachis 2–4 cm. long, glandular-nodular; peduncle 1–2 cm. long; pedicels 2–4 mm. long; bracts subpersistent, linear-lanceolate, 3–4 mm. long, also secondary deciduous ovate-lanceolate bracts ±1·5 mm. long; bracteoles ovate-lanceolate ± 1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx puberulous or glabrous; tube 2–2·5 mm. long; lobes triangular-lanceolate, 1–1·5 mm. long, the upper pair united into an emarginate lip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard pink or blue-violet, oblate, 8–12 mm. long, 10 mm. wide, emarginate, glabrous; keel-beak obtuse, not incurved.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods linear, curved, (3–)5–7-seeded, 3–5 cm. long, 3 mm. wide, hooked apically, sparsely pubescent, reticulate with raised ribs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds pinkish or chestnut-brown with dark mottling, oblong-reniform, longest dimension 3·5–4 mm., shorter dimension 3 mm.; hilum small, white, elliptic, 1·5 mm. long; aril obsolete.

Habitat

Evergreen forest; 1170 m.

Distribution

U4

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/170431/1313658

Conservation

EN - endangered

Papilionaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Stems climbing

Morphology General Indumentum

More or less pilose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers pink or mauve.

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial climbing herb, 0·9–1·5 m. long.

Morphology Stem

Stems mostly rather slender, glabrescent or with fine adpressed or spreading pubescence.

Morphology Leaves

Leaflets 3, thin, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 2·1–8·5 cm. long, 1·5–7·2 cm. wide, rounded (not in the Flora area) to abruptly acuminate at the apex, acute to truncate at the base, glabrous to pubescent on both surfaces; petiole 2–7 cm. long; rhachis 0·4–1·5 cm. long; petiolules 1–4 mm. long; stipules persistent, narrowly triangular, 2–4 mm. long, shortly bilobed at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary; rhachis 2–6 cm. long, glandular-nodular; peduncle 4–17 cm. long, pubescent at the apex; pedicels 2–4 mm. long; bracteoles persistent, ovate-lanceolate, 1–1·5(–3·5) mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx sparsely adpressed pubescent or glabrous; tube 1·2–2·2(–3·5) mm. long; lobes deltoid, 0·8–1·5(–2) mm. long, the upper pair united to form a low rounded truncate or emarginate lip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard blue or pink, sometimes greenish outside, often turning yellow, oblate, 0·9–1·6 cm. long, 0·9–1·7 cm. wide, slightly emarginate, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods deflexed, 1·8–4 cm. long, 1·8–4 mm. wide, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, 3–8-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds black or brown mottled black, obliquely oblong or ovoid, longest dimension 2–3·5 mm., shorter dimension 1·5–2 mm., 1 mm. thick; hilum eccentric or ± central; aril reduced or almost absent, forming a rim around the hilum.

Habitat

Forest, often in swampy areas; 1140–1200 m.

Distribution

U4 W. Africa from Gambia to Gabon, Congo, Sudan

Papilionaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

A slender twiner

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Pink or bluish purple flowers quickly turning yellow.