Chamaecrista mimosoides (L.) Greene

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Erect or prostrate annual or short-lived perennial; stem crisped pubescent to densely spreading pilose

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 0.6–10 cm long; gland near top of petiole, sessile, circular, 0.4–1 mm in diam.; rhachis serrate- or crenate-crested along upper side; leaflets sessile, in 16–76 pairs, obliquely oblong to elliptic-oblong or linear-oblong, (2–)2.5–9 x 0.5–1.25(–2) mm, glabrous or subglabrous except sometimes for ciliolate margins; midrib somewhat eccentric. Inflorescences axillary or supra-axillary, 1–3-flowered; pedicels 0.3–2.5(–3) cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals acute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow, 4–13 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods linear to linear-oblong, (1.5–)3.5–8 x 0.3–0.5 cm, flat, elastically dehiscent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, subrhombic, 2–3 x 1–2 mm, without areoles.

Distribution

S3 widespread in the Old World tropics.

Ecology

Altitude range: less than 100 m.

Note

This variable species of Chamaecrista is easily recognised by the definite raised wing-like projection running along the upper side of the leaf-rhachis, whose outline seen from sideways is more or less distinctly crenate or serrate, the sinuses corresponding to the points of insertion of the leaflets.

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland, Lake Victoria regional transition zone; grasslands, Guinea-Congolia/Sudania regional transitional zone; wooded grassland., Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transition zone ; woodland., Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transition zone; gr

Morphology General Habit

Annual/Perennial, Not climbing, Herb/Shrub

Vernacular

Mateloi, Mateloi Lalahi

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/136661927/136661946

Conservation

LC - least concern

Leguminosae, R.K. Brummitt, A.C. Chikuni, J.M. Lock and R.M. Polhill. Flora Zambesiaca 3:2. 2007

Morphology General Habit

Annual erect or decumbent herb, sometimes woody at the base.

Morphology Stem

Stems terete, sparsely to densely pubescent with curved appressed hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves paripinnate, 7–11(13) × 0.8–1(1.4) cm; stipules 6–11 × 1–2 mm, very narrowly triangular, apex long-acuminate, base rounded, asymmetric, surfaces and margins glabrous; petiolar gland single, dark to pale, 0.3–0.6 × 0.3–0.9 mm, elliptic to circular, sessile to shortly stalked (to 0.3 mm), usually shallowly cup-shaped; rachis crenate-crested; leaflets in (31)40–59 pairs, 3.8–5(8) × 0.7–1.2(1.4) mm, narrowly oblong, asymmetric, base asymmetrically truncate, apex acute to obtuse, shortly mucronate; margins sparsely ascending-ciliate, surfaces glabrous or with at most a few scattered hairs; midrib 0.2 mm from distal margin; 0–2 lateral nerves from base on proximal side of midrib, 2–4 on distal side, often indistinct.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences supra-axillary, usually 2–3-flowered; pedicels 0.25–2 cm long in flower, 0.5–2.4 cm in fruit, appressed-pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5–7.7 × 2–2.8 mm, ovate to narrowly ovate, appressed (or rarely spreading) pubescent outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow, broadly obovate, 4.5–9.5 × 3–7 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 9–10, four larger than the rest.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary densely appressed-pubescent; stigma terminal, fringed with hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 3.7–5.8 × 0.3–0.5 cm, linear, sparsely pubescent with short stiff appressed hairs or with longer more flexuous hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds pale brown, sometimes with small darker spots, 2.2–3 × 1.3–1.8 mm, rounded-rhomboid.

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

Morphology General Habit

An exceedingly variable prostrate to erect herb up to about 1.5 in. high, usually annual, sometimes with the stems becoming woody above ground-level and enabling the plant to perennate.

Morphology Stem

Stems valuable in indumentum, usually puberulous with short curved hairs, sometimes ± densely clothed with longer spreading hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves linear to linear-oblong, ± parallel-sided, 0.6–10 cm. long, 0.4–1.5 cm. wide; gland usually at, or near top of petiole, sessile, normally orbicular or nearly so, dish-shaped when dry, 0.4–1.0 mm. in diameter; rhachis eglandular, serrate- or crenate-crested along upper side; leaflets sessile, in 16–76 pairs, obliquely oblong to oblong-elliptic or linear-oblong, (2–)2.5–8(–9) mm. long, 0.5–1.25(–1.9) mm. wide, acute or subacute and shortly mucronate, glabrous or nearly so except for minute inconspicuous ciliolation or sometimes longer ciliation on margins; midrib somewhat excentric (towards anticous margin); lateral nerves obscure to prominulous beneath, those on anticous side of midrib absent or very few.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences supra-axillary or sometimes axillary, 1–3-flowered; pedicels 0.3–2.5(–3.0) cm. long, usually shortly puberulous, sometimes spreading-hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow, obovate, 4–13 mm. long, 2–9 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods linear to linear-oblong, (1.5–)3.5–8 cm. long, 3–5 mm. wide, usually appressed-hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, ± rhombic, 2–3 mm. long, 1–2 mm. wide, without areoles.

Figures

Fig. 10/48, p. 57.

Habitat

(of aggregate species). Clearings in forest, forest margins, wooded grassland, grassland, cultivated and waste ground, sandy river-beds, lake- and sea-shores; 0–2740 m.

Distribution

Widespread in the tropics of the Old Worldrecorded for America, but needs confirmationnot allowed for America by Britton & Killip in Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 35: 187 (1936)

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

Morphology General Habit

Herb or low shrub to 5 ft. high, or diffuse

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers yellow

Ecology

A variable plant, locally common on sandy soil.