Zornia pratensis Milne-Redh.

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb, with a thickened often creeping perennating root.

Morphology Stem

Stems numerous, erect at first, ultimately decumbent, up to 3.5 dm. long.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 2-foliolate; leaflets of upper leaves obliquely linear-elliptic, up to 27 × 5 mm., acute or shortly apiculate, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, glandular-punctate, especially near the margin, beneath; those of lower leaves similar.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules narrowly lanceolate, up to 12 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts ovate-lanceolate, acute, often shorter than the internodes, sparsely beset with glands, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers longer than the bracts.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx ± 4.0 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow with red veins; standard often orange-red outside, up to 10 mm. long, but often less.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Legume up to 17 mm. long and 7-seeded, but more usually 5–6-seeded; segments 2.5 × 2 mm.; bristles beset with short spreading hairs, rarely glabrous.

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

Leguminosae, B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 3:6. 2000

Morphology General Habit

Decumbent or, less often, erect perennial herb 5–40 cm long or tall.

Morphology Stem

Stems often many from the woody stock, branched, glabrous or somewhat pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 2-foliolate; leaflets 10–27(40) × 1–5(10) mm, obliquely linear-elliptic, linear or lanceolate, acute at the apex, cuneate at the base, glabrescent or sparsely hairy, glandular-punctate, particularly near the margins; petiole 5–20 mm long, glabrous; petiolules c. 1 mm long; stipules 9–18 mm long including the 3–6 mm long spur, 1.5–3 mm wide, lanceolate, glabrous and obscurely pellucid-punctate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 5–25 cm long; peduncle 2–6 cm long; bracts 5–12 × 2–4(6) mm, elliptic, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, acute, ciliate but otherwise glabrous, fairly densely to sparsely pellucid-punctate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube 2 mm long; lobes 0.5–1.5 mm long, glabrous save for midnerve of the lowest lobe.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Standard yellow or orange, marked with red or brown, or sometimes pink, 7–11 × 6–10 mm; wings yellow marked with red; keel yellow or green.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits 10–17 mm long of 4–6 articles, each article 1.5–2.5 × 1.5–2 mm, sometimes slightly glandular, puberulous or rarely glabrous, covered with plumose or glabrous bristles 0.2–0.5(1) mm or 2–3 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark brown, compressed, 1.8 × 1.1 × 0.5 mm, irregularly reniform, somewhat beaked beyond the small eccentric hilum.