Fabaceae
Vigna

Vigna schimperi Baker

First published in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 2: 201 (1871)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Ethiopia to Malawi. It is a climbing perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Twining perennial herb, ± 2 m. long from a large fibrous or woody root-stock.
Morphology Stem
Stems velvety with dense adpressed ferruginous hairs, becoming glabrescent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaflets 3, narrowly ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, less often ovate or ovate-elliptic, (1·2–)3–7 cm. long, (0·6–)1·3–4·8 cm. wide, acute and mucronulate at the apex, ± rounded at the base, sometimes with a slight trace of hastation, sparsely to densely softly pubescent on both surfaces; petiole 1·2–5 cm. long; rhachis 4–12 mm. long; petiolules 2 mm. long; stipules triangular-lanceolate, 3–5 mm. long, usually slightly bilobed at the base but not prolonged in the type.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence subumbellate; rhachis obsolete or up to 1·3 cm. long; peduncle 3–18 cm. long; pedicels 2–7 mm. long; bracteoles deciduous, lanceolate or ovate, 1·5–3·5 mm. long, ± bilobed at the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx finely adpressed pubescent; tube 3–6 mm. long; lateral lobes ovate or deltoid, 2–3 mm. long; lowest lobe lanceolate, 2·5–5 mm. long; upper pair joined to form an acute or bifid lip.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard orange-yellow inside, greenish-yellow outside with brownish tinge or sometimes with small purple marks, obovate, 1·8–2·5 cm. long, 1·6–2·6 cm. wide, emarginate, glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pods held erect, cylindrical, 4–9·5 cm. long, 3·5–4 mm. wide, velvety with closely adpressed ferruginous hairs, ± 16-seeded; beak narrow and curved.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds reddish-brown mottled with black, oblong-ellipsoidal, longest dimension 3·3 mm., shorter dimension 2·5 mm., 2 mm. thick; hilum oblong, 1 mm. long; rim-aril not developed or only slightly developed.
Habitat
Upland grassland, bushland, forest edges, cultivated ground, sometimes by rivers and streams; 1350–2800 m.
Distribution
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 T2 T3 T4 T7 U1 U2
[FTEA]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Lake Victoria regional mosaic; bushland and thicket, Afromontane grassland, Afromontane(upland) bushland and thicket., Lake Victoria regional transition zone; grasslands
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Climbing, Herb
[ILDIS]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/170473/1314764

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Leguminosae, B. Mackinder, R. Pasquet, R. Polhill and B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:5. 2001

Morphology General Habit
Twining perennial herb, c. 2 m long from a large fibrous or woody rootstock.
Morphology Stem
Stem velvety with dense appressed ferruginous hairs, becoming glabrescent.
Morphology Leaves Leaflets
Leaflets 3, 3–7 × 1.3–4.8 cm, narrowly ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, less often ovate or ovate-elliptic, acute and mucronulate at the apex, rounded-subcordate at the base, sometimes with a slight trace of hastation, sparsely to densely softly pubescent on both surfaces; petiole 1.2–5 cm long; rhachis 0.4–1.2 cm long; stipules 3–5 × 1.5 mm, triangular-lanceolate, not produced or slightly bilobed at the base, multinerved.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Peduncle 3–18 cm × 1–2 mm, winged; rhachis obsolete or up to 17 mm long, 14-noded, internode c. 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flower yellow, 13–25 mm long; pedicel 2–8 mm long, expanding as the pod matures; bracteoles 1–3.5 × 0.5–0.8 mm, lanceolate or ovate, ciliolate, 1-nerved.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx finely appressed pubescent; tube 3–6 mm long; lobes 1.5 mm long, the lower twice as long as the laterals, the upper pair joined to form an acute or bifid lip.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Standard 1.3–2.6 × 1.0–2.1 cm, longer than wide, obovate, with two small oblique appendages; keel slightly twisted towards the right or not twisted.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Alternate anthers without a pair of glands at their base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen
Pollen exine not reticulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 13–20-ovuled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod 4–9.5 cm × 3.5–4 mm, linear-cylindrical, almost straight, velvety with closely appressed ferruginous hairs, beak narrow, very slightly curved or straight.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed 2.5–4 × 1.5–3 × 1.5–2 mm; hilum 0.5–1 mm long, slightly excentric; rim-aril not developed or only slightly developed.
[FZ]

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]

Seed Collecting Guide. RBG Kew (2013-2016)

Morphology General Habit
twining Perrenial herb, c. 2 m long from a large fibrous or woody rootstock
Morphology Stem
stem velvety with dense a ppressed ferruginous hairs, becoming glabrescent
Morphology Leaves
leaflets 3, 3-7 x 1.3-4.8 cm, narrowly ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, less often ovate or ovate-elliptic, acute and mucronulate at the apex, rounded-subcordate at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
peduncle 3-18 cm x 1-2 mm, winged
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
calyx finely appressed pubescent; tube 3-6 mm long; lobes 1.5 mm long, the lower twice as long as the laterals, the upper pair joined to form an acute or bifid lip
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
standard 1.3-2.6 x 1.0-2.1 cm, longer than wide, obovate, with two small oblique appendages; keel slightly twisted towards the right or not twisted alternate anthers without a pair of glands at their base pollen exine not reticulate flower yellow, 13-25 mm long; pedicel 2-8 mm long, expanding as the pod matures; bracteoles 1-3.5 x 0.5-0.8 mm, lanceolate or ovate, ciliolate, 1-nerved
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
ovary 13-20-ovuled
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
fruit pod 4-9.5 cm x 3.5-4 mm, linear-cylindrical, almost straight, velvety with closely appressed ferruginous hairs, beak narrow, very slightly curved or straight
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
2.5-4 x 1.5-3 x 1.5-2 mm; hilum 0.5-1 mm long, slightly excentric; rim-aril not developed or only slightly developed.
Ecology
grasslands, forest margin, thicket, degraded forests, savannah, roadsides, hills and mountain slopes. altitude70 - 4800 m
Distribution
Southern, central and Eastern Africa.
Conservation
least concerned
Phenology
Flower (october - january and april - july), fruit (october - january and april - july)
[SCG]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • 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/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/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

  • Seed Collection Guides

    • Seed Collection Guides
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/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